Worth of a Man. Literally.
Well, Sort Of...

Pokpokan Blues
By Makisig Santos

“You charge how much?”

“P1,300.”

“How much?”

“P1,300.”

“How much?”

I knew he heard me, was hearing me, and I guessed he just couldn’t cough up what I was charging him, and he was being sarcastic about it, so I chose to just keep quiet.  I’ve provided him the answer more than once, and that’s more than enough.

Silence ensued.

“Well?” he asked, right eyebrow zooming up as he cocked his head to the left – looking inquisitive, yes, though dumb-like, too.

“Well?” I mimicked.

“How much?”

“I already told you.”

Silence again.

Then, finally: “Expensive.”

I looked at him.  Intently.  “Leon M. Cautillo: The bitterness of poor quality remains long after low pricing is forgotten,” I said.  I was ready to leave.

“Sandali,” he said, touching my arm.  “Ikaw naman, hindi na mabiro.  I can’t joke with you anymore.  Please wait.” 

He smiled widely. 

I returned the smile. 

A deal was made.

Hours later, after what had to happen, happened, I was back to walking in Greenbelt 3, about to catch a movie.  And it was while grabbing a fresh fruit drink from Fuzion that I got to thinking that, hey, I was picked up in the Ayala Center, and when in that area, the price I gave was in the range of the ongoing rate, so what was that customer’s issue when I priced my services at P1,300?  Then it hit me that perhaps, just perhaps, the problem is not the lack of money itself (he certainly ended up paying the rate, anyway, even if he initially balked at it), but in communicating the rates to be expected when picking at such and such place.
So let this serve as some sort of guide.

Just to clarify expectations.

Firstly, there are various “centers” of sex work, e.g.:

• Philippine Women’s University along Taft Avenue used to be one, but SWs moved closer to Ma. Orosa Street corner J. Nakpil Street, where the MSMs frequent;
• University belt, best seen at night (those scenes in the moves like Sibak and Toro are real);
• Steel railings in the Araneta Center (where the term bakal boys originated), though more often only at nights now, with many SWs doing the rounds in the malls now, particularly Farmers and Gateway;
• In the Ayala Center, particularly Glorietta and Greenbelt;
• Quezon City Circle, especially at nights; and
• In malls, from SM to Robinsons to Ayala centers to Ever to whatever (more often, we notice you more than you notice us – we’re working, after all).

Secondly, these centers have different ongoing rates, e.g.

• Malate, City of Manila = From P300, though generally P500 up
• University Belt = From P300, though generally P500 up
• Quezon City Circle = From P300, though generally P500 up
• Cubao (Araneta Center), Quezon City = From P300, though generally P500 up
• Ayala Center = Greater than or equal to P800
• Four-star hotel lobbies = From P700
• Five-star hotel lobbies = From P1,000
• First tier dance clubs = From P1,000
• Second tier dance clubs = From P500
• Pre-booked = As agreed upon (usually from P1,000+ to as high as can be)

And thirdly, these are general prices, i.e. for a quick sing and dance, and sans inclusion of:

• Hotel/accommodation fees;
• Transportation fees (if/when needed);
• Extra services (e.g. massage);
• Special requests (e.g. role playing);
• Et cetera.

All the prices may be changed, though, depending on such factors as:

• Performance demands (e.g. I can be your Master, for a change – I certainly have the get-up; though for a price);
• Quality of SW and his/her services (there are SWs offering massage AND sex as extra service in the comforts of your home for P300 or thereabouts, but doesn’t that, somehow, make you wary, circumspect on why that low a price?);
• Fame of SW – related to the above, though there are popular SWs whose fame isn’t to do with their performance but with just being famous (i.e. celebs, who can command well over P15,000 for a night – or even just for one or two hours);
• Season (e.g. some of us have to pay tuition fees, you know, so when it’s that time of the year when we have to pay up to make some school owner rich, expect some price fluctuation);
• Haggling ability of client;
• Location in a location (e.g. if you book in a classy restaurant, it wouldn’t matter if that classy place is in Malate or in Greenbelt, that SW will charge the Makati P1,000+ rate to start the bidding.  Obviously, the classier the place, the higher that price will be);
• Time of booking (for street-based SWs);
• Mood of SW;
• And, yes, need/desperation of SW (e.g. book along J. Nakpil Street at 5.30 AM, and you can get one for less than P300 – pang-kape na lang);
• Et cetera.

These are in no way definitive.

But you get the point.

Which is why communicating is important, to begin with, in establishing a relationship with your sexual service provider.

Now go pick up or be picked up.

Makisig Santos, 24, is an on/off sex worker, who believes that since the profession is inherently dangerous, SWs need to be provided with as much know-how as possible for them to be able to protect themselves in whatever situation they find themselves in – and this is the very intention he intends to achieve here, with Pokpokan Blues.