Discreetionary: Field report

field report [FEELD re·PORT] noun 1. A testimony of a client regarding the services provided by a male-for-hire or a masseur. abbreviation: FR. example: “Ano FR mo kay Paolo?” etymology: from the English phrase field report, which means a report of an experienced event or of a completed task.

If you are one who frequents massage parlors or gay bars, or someone who procures the services of guys featured on websites like Lalaking Palaban, I guess you already know about this term, “field report,” or “FR.” FRs are vital if you want to make sure you get the most bang for your buck. But FRs are also not fully reliable as they are subjective based on the reporter’s personal tastes, which may not match your own, and there may also be false or misleading reports because of competition and paninira.

I think currently the best site to read FRs is FRCentral, an online forum focused on field reports (as if that’s not obvious from the site’s name). There are dedicated threads for each “model” of various male-for-hire websites as well for each masseur of every massage parlor in Metro Manila. Aside from that, there are threads also for other places catering to the PLU sector. But the forum’s main and most active threads are those for FRs with more than 2,700 posts already submitted.

There are also blogs that feature FRs. I guess the most entertaining is Manila Spanatic. I’ve also featured a couple of other blogs such as (DM post) and Manila Gay Guide (DM post) that sometimes post FRs but they focus more on the establishment themselves rather than on particular boys.

Discreetionary: quota

quota [KOH·tah] noun 1. The desired score. example: “Naka-quota ka na ba?” etymology: from the English word quota, which means a prescribed number, threshold, or limit.

If we have the term score, then quota, isn’t far behind. When you are out cruising, you usually have a desired score before you can say that you are satisfied, right? Usually the quota is just 1, in which case using the word quota doesn’t mean much. But if you’re in places like bathhouses and cruisy spas, then the quota is usually a number bigger than 1. And if you haven’t reached your quota and the place is near closing, then panic buying usually sets in. Hehehe.

I will admit that my usual quota when visiting bathhouses is 2 (sometimes 3 when I’m extra horny and I arrived early). If I’m feeling a bit frisky in the gym, then my quota there is 1, though I don’t often mind if I can’t score there.

How about you, what’s your quota?

Discreetionary: borta

borta [BORE·ta] noun 1. a muscular man. adjective 2. muscular.

I profess to not knowing much about this word and have never used it. But, I’ve encountered this enough times to be curious and to do some research. As far as I can tell, those definitions above are it. It may also mean someone who has an attractive or a nicely built body but usually in the context of being muscular or gym-fit.

As an example of usage, Fahrenheit, the bathhouse, occasionally has this special promo night for PLUs who go to the gym. If you show to the registration your gym card, you get a discounted entrance fee of 120 pesos instead of the usual 180+ pesos. This special promo was called the Borta Night.

Anyway, I definitely am very attracted to borta guys. Especially those with really nice arms.

Discreetionary: aquarium

aquarium [a·KWEH·ree·yum] noun 1. a designated room in a gay massage parlor where the masseurs stay, and where the room has a window through which a client views and selects his masseur.

Before coming to Hilom, I’ve only seen a massage parlor aquarium in the movie Masahista (featuring the cute Coco Martin). Heck, that movie was actually my first glimpse of how such gay “spas” operate. I can’t remember anymore where I first encountered the term aquarium but it’s definitely an apt word. The idea of choosing a masseur in a massage parlor is like selecting the fishes you want to eat from a tank in a fresh seafood restaurant. Hehe.

One notable feature of aquariums is that the viewing window is typically one-way: the client can see the masseurs but the boys can’t see the client. I guess this is to preserve the privacy of the client as much as possible. In the movie Heavenly Touch, the viewing window is not realistic simply because the window is two-way. In the particular case of Hilom, their window is actually the aquarium’s glass door.

I guess this aquarium business is one of the minor reasons why I didn’t really enjoy my stay at Hilom. I’m a torpe kind of guy and the idea of me doing the first move (i.e., selecting the guy) is one thing I’m not comfortable in doing, compared to guys simply hitting on me.

Discreetionary: blue bar

blue bar [BLOO bahr] noun 1. an establishment targeted to gay and bisexual men. 2. an establishment for socializing targeted to gay and bisexual men that serves alcohol and often has a designated place for casual sex.

“Blue bar” is one term that is used in so many contexts that I really have no idea if there is a widely accepted definition for it. The broadest meaning is likely definition #1 above. This meaning encompasses bathhouses like Club Bath and Queeriosity Palace, gay bars such as Adonis, massage parlors like Hilom, and gay dance clubs like Bed and Government.

On the other hand, those aforementioned places have their own specific terms (bathhouse, gay bar, massage parlor, gay club), such that I think that we should reserve the term “blue bar” to a particular kind of gay establishment and that is the one described by definition #2 above. These blue bars are essentially drinking bars that serve alcohol where gay and bisexual men can meet and socialize. They don’t necessarily go there to dance and enjoy the music, unlike in gay clubs; or to wear towels and get laid, unlike in bathhouses. And prostitution is not encouraged, unlike in gay bars and massage parlors. Well, there may be dark rooms in the premises where casual sex is allowed (or at least heavy make-out sessions).

The most prominent example of a blue bar I can think of is Sanctum. Other possible examples would be D’ Tour in Mandaluyong, and one of the Palawan bars in Cubao, though I haven’t been to these places to be sure. I also think D’ Mansion in Pasay is a cross between a bathhouse and a blue bar. Interestingly, “blue bar” seems to be a Filipino term as I haven’t seen a reference to such in the States when I searched in Google.

What do you think? Does my interpretation of the term “blue bar” match yours?

Discreetionary: ISO

ISO · abbreviation. in search of.

ISO was one of those terms that I encountered when I poked around the gay personals websites (i.e., the “old” social networking sites) back in the 90’s. It took me quite a long time to learn that it meant “in search of.” I wasn’t about to ask around lest people think that I was a newbie, and Google was non-existent back then. This term is usually followed by other acronyms like GWM (gay white male) or GAM (gay Asian male) to signify that the searchee is looking for such.

On hindsight, it appears that ISO, as a term, is not used very much, if at all, by the local PLU community. I barely see it in the chatrooms and even in the modern gay social networking sites like PlanetRomeo. What’s more common is “ASL,” right?

Discreetionary: parokyano

parokyano [pa·ro·KYA·nò] noun 1. A person who frequents gay establishments, especially bathhouses and gay saunas. etymology: from the Tagalog parokyano, which comes from the Spanish parroquiano, which means parishioner (of a parish) or a patron or customer of an establishment.

This term has a negative connotation and is used to refer to those guys who frequent bathhouses, especially those that go there every week or even more frequently. The connotation seems to say that a parokyano is a sex-maniac. I don’t get why frequenting bathhouses is such a bad thing. If you’re single, having safe casual sex in moderate amounts is not an unhealthy thing. And getting laid in the bathhouse is a very low-risk affair and there’s no problem of second-guessing if a guy is straight or not and wondering where to do it unlike when cruising in public. And unlike chatting and cruising online, you have no problem anymore with fake pictures. I guess being a parokyano will only be a problem if one is addicted to it.

Because of this negative connotation, I’ve observed one thing. One question that I’ve encountered a lot from people I meet in the bathhouse is “how many times have you been here?” The usual answer is two, three, or a few times. People don’t like to say it’s their first time (so that they won’t appear naïve), and they certainly don’t like to admit that they’ve been to the bathhouse many times. Well, I’m admitting that I’m a parokyano and by that, I’m saying that I patronize bathhouses (I usually go about once a month). I don’t see anything wrong with that, do you?

Got any Discreetionary terms of your own? Send them my way at discreetmanila at gmail.com.

Discreetionary: Fitness Feast

Fitness Feast [FIT·nes FEEST] noun 1. Alternate name for the Fitness First chain of gyms. etymology: from the fact that Fitness First is the cruisiest gym chain in Metro Manila.

I've elaborated in a previous post that Fitness First is the best gym if cruisiness is the only criterion. And this is pertinent since after all, gym is the gay church. Thus we have this alternate name for FF (which I got from CC) due to the many carnal opportunities that is possible here. I've visited FF a few times but I have yet to enjoy the feast.

Discreetionary: AWW

AWW · abbreviation. akbay while walking

Today’s Discreetionary entry was coined by a friend of mine as the discreet PLU version of HHWW-PSSP (holding hands while walking—pa-sway-sway-pa). If you’re discreet, you of course won’t show any overt signs of affection with your boyfriend or date in public. (You leave those signs inside darkened movie houses. Hehe.) So any physical touching should be minimized or at least be innocuous. For two straight guys, the most intimate touching that can be done while walking is possibly the akbay. (Is there any English word for this?) So in lieu of holding hands (or God forbid, wrapping your arm around his lower back), the “manly” buddy akbay is the way to go. Of course, gay people all around you will speculate upon seeing you two together in such a position, but that’s to be expected.

Now the question is, which type of akbay do you do? The near akbay, where you hang on to the shoulder of your partner nearest you, or the full akbay, wherein it is the other, farther shoulder you hold on to? I guess it depends on how discreet or paranoid you are and how much you like the guy.

Discreetionary: panic buying

panic buying [PA·nick BUHY·ing] noun 1. A behavior done by a person in places for socializing near their closing times, characterized by a lowering of that person’s standards for interaction. etymology: from the economic concept of panic buying in which the connecting idea is that of a buyer’s perception of shortage or an expectation of reduced market supply.

When I first encountered this term in the PLU context, I immediately understood what it meant. Although the real economic panic buying means that people buy lots of stuff and the PLU version does not at all mean getting lots of guys, both concepts are similar in that there is an expected shortage of supply (i.e., the bar or club is closing soon). This is especially true for guys who haven’t scored yet. You can observe this all the time in bars, clubs, bathhouses, and even in gyms!

Unless you’re a really lucky person, I’m sure you’ve felt the urge to engage in panic buying even if ultimately you retain your pride and decide to remain scoreless instead of lowering your standards. I guess the motivating factor behind panic buying is that there’s an expensive entrance fee to a place and that your goal is to score and you haven’t scored yet. If your goal in going to a venue is different or the entrance is cheap or free, then there would no panic buying at all.

I’ll admit that I’ve done my own share of panic buying. Hehehe. If you want an informative discourse about panic buying, check out the latter half of this conversation between McVie and his friend.

Discreetionary: score

score [skohr] verb 1. to have one’s way with a guy that one likes, usually for sex. noun 2. the tally or count of such encounters. example: “Now if I can only score this high when I go into bathhouses, I’ll be a happy camper.” —Joel McVie. etymology: from the English word score, which means to gain points in a game or the number of such points obtained.

The term score is not strictly a PLU-only term—even straight guys use this word though in the context of girls. But score is, dare I say, especially relevant to our world since it’s quite demonstrable that sexually active PLU men manage to score multiple times in a relatively short period of time, especially in cruisy places like bathhouses. Heck, you can get to score multiple times in more wholesome locations like dance clubs by getting to kiss or make out with various guys.

Got any Discreetionary terms of your own? Send them my way at discreetmanila at gmail.com.

Discreetionary: hipon

hipon [HEE·pon] noun 1. a guy with a great body but with an average or unattractive face. example: “Those guys in suits are HOT and definitely not hipon!” —AJ on the KFC Shrimp Surfers TV commercial. etymology: from the Tagalog word for shrimp and from the observation that most people eat the body of the shrimp and not the head.

I can't remember the first time I encountered this term but I immediately understood what it meant. I'm just part of the majority who likes eating the body of shrimp and not the head (a la tempura), so I quickly got the idiom. Surprisingly, I still encounter a comment or two on blog posts that use this term asking what “hipon” means. Also, the term is often used in a derogatory manner.

I don't know of any good opposite term for a guy who has an attractive face with a not-so hot body. One term I've encountered is “lollipop,” but this refers to skinny or very lean cute guys (usually twinks). Do you know of any other such term?

Got any Discreetionary terms you'd like to share? Send them my way at discreetmanila at gmail.com.

Discreetionary: B · G · F · E

B · abbreviation Bed Club + Bar.
G · abbreviation Club Government.
F · abbreviation Fahrenheit Cafe and Fitness Center.
E · abbreviation Epitome Club.

In order to be discreet, PLU people have this habit of using code words for “incriminating” terms. One simple way to do this is to use abbreviations and acronyms like “PLU” and I've seen this technique used to refer to the popular gay hangouts. Even in the presence of other green-blooded men, using the initial letters of these places to refer to them is still done, especially through SMS. For instance, an out officemate of mine used to talk about going to “F” a few years ago.

Aside from the places mentioned above, we also have “CB” for Club Bath Philippines, “QP” or “Q” for Queeriosity Palace, “P1”, “P2” and “P3” for the various Palawan bars in Cubao, and “S” for the now-closed Sanctum. (Which reminds me to make a couple of blog posts about that place. Update: posts now created.) I'm not sure if this practice of using initials extended way back (did people use “M” to refer to Mint before?). I'd appreciate some confirmation.

Got any Discreetionary terms you'd like to share? Send them my way at discreetmanila at gmail.com.

Discreetionary: O party

O party [OH PAHR·tee] noun 1. euphemism for an organized sexual orgy. etymology: O from “orgy” and party, a “a social gathering”.

It’s been quite fashionable to use “O party” as an innocuous-sounding term instead of the more vulgar “orgy” when referring to multi-person organized sex events. Because of the Internet and of websites like Guys4Men, it’s has also been easier to organize such O parties, often held inside private hotel/motel rooms or condominium units. In Guys4Men, you can occasionally encounter invitations to such events posted at the site’s calendar complete with the warning: “please read our health & safety info if you are thinking of attending this event.”

I’ve personally never been to an O party, but I certainly would like to try going to one given a good opportunity. Then again, going to bath houses is almost, but not quite, the same thing, so it’s quite probable that I’m not missing anything.

Got any Discreetionary terms? Send them my way at discreetmanila at gmail.com.

Discreetionary: meanwhile

meanwhile [MEEN·hwahyl] interjection 1. Word uttered in the middle of a conversation among PLU friends to signal that a cute guy is passing by. etymology: from the English meanwhile, which means “at the same time.”

I caught this expression from a friend of mine who used to hang out with a certain PLU barkada. Whenever that barkada was staying in a public place and someone notices a cute or attractive guy passing by, that someone would then interrupt the ongoing conversation by announcing, “Meanwhile....” and the others would get the cue. I guess this would only work when the place you are in doesn't have that many cute guys. Imagine trying this out in Greenbelt 3!

I personally have never gotten to try this “signal” but maybe some of you guys could make use of it. Also, I'd like to know if there are any other similar signals used by other barkadas; it might make a great addition to our Discreetionary. Hehehe.

Discreetionary: -er

-er [ERR] noun 1. an attractive blue-collar worker or one who looks like a stereotypical blue-collar worker. adjective 2. pertaining to blue-collar workers. example: “Enzo [...] and Adong (Wil Sandejas, ‘er’-sexy but whose acting is distracting) are childhood friends.” —McVie, on Sikil. etymology: from the English suffix -er, which pertains to somebody connected with an action, often as an occupation.

It's somewhat a stereotype that gay guys generally like the fair or mestizo, clean-looking, model-type yuppies from the high classes of society so getting attracted to the barako, tough-looking men who often hold blue-collar jobs is considered just a bit unusual so much so that these men are given the term -er. This term comes from the suffix that pertain to many blue-collar jobs such as factory worker, taxi/bus driver, carpenter, waiter, plumber, police officer, and seafarer. Of course, there are many white-collar occupations that also end in -er, but the term exclusively refers to blue-collar workers. According to this thread at the Guys4Men forums (log-in required), the term was coined before 2004 and was popularized on the Internet.

Got any Discreetionary terms to share? Send them my way at discreetmanila at gmail.com.

Discreetionary: booking

booking [BOOK·ing] noun 1. in cruising, an agreement made with another guy for sexual activities in the near future. 2. the guy with which the aforementioned agreement is made. example: "Sorry, hindi ako makakasama mamaya sa gimik natin kasi may booking na ako." etymology: from the English booking, a contract or engagement.

I guess many PLU guys already know this term, but I'm willing to bet that there are some out there who are still clueless. Anyway, "booking" is one of those terms that need no further explaining as long as it's uttered in the proper context by friends, like in a bar or a club ("May booking ka na?"). As far as I can tell, this is a distinctly Pinoy term and is probably the equivalent of "trick" in the United States.

Got any Discreetionary terms? Send them my way at discreetmanila at gmail.com.

Discreetionary: PLU

PLU [PEE·el·you] noun 1. a non-straight male. adjective 2. not straight. example: "This will be a venue for the musings and a-musings of [a] PLU operating for the past two decades in the homo-ambivalent corporate world." —Corporate Closet. etymology: from the acronym of People Like Us, a gay rights group based in Singapore.

Welcome to Discreetionary! Obviously, it's a discreet dictionary and I envision it to be a series of posts that will introduce or define slang words and phrases used by gay and bisexual guys in Manila. The idea for this is blatantly ripped off from the Queerisms category of the QueerClick gay blog (warning: QueerClick is definitely not safe for work!), but targeted for our local world. And no, this won't be a gay lingo dictionary so we'll be leaving the "chorvas," the "eklavus," the "chakas" elsewhere, especially if they're not often used by discreet guys like us.

Going back to our term, you might find it interesting to know that the the use of the term PLU seems to be a purely Southeast Asian phenomenon. As mentioned above, it came from the name of People Like Us, a prominent Singaporean LGBT rights group, twice declined recognition in the largely conservative nation-state. The term is popular in its hometown Singapore, as well as Malaysia and the Philippines, and possibly also in Indonesia and Thailand. Note that when using the term, you ignore its original expanded meaning; otherwise, you'd get ungrammatical expressions. For example, "Is he PLU?" should not be expanded to the hilariously sounding "Is he people like us?"

I can't remember when I first learned of this term but I think it was in 2002, I think, but I now personally find it an extremely useful and versatile term and could be the SEA equivalent of UK's "queer," don't you think?