Senate Sessions

A trip to Manila would not be complete and would be an utter waste if I do not set a Senate Session.

We the Honorable Senators must have a coffee session!

Our friendship started in College. I was an experienced debater and have been team captain of winning debating teams, as well as coached some, and they were younger inexperienced ones struggling with a class project.

It was at a coffee shop I frequent. I was doing a mind unfreeze and a breather from a long day of press work for the publication when I noticed their group. How could you not notice them when they were bickering and audibly arguing with each other on some highly important matter that would spell catastrophe if not resolved soonest? Irritated as I was, I calmly took a puff, lifted my mug from the table, stood up and approached the group. It did help that the group was composed mostly of girlalettes. With a calm voice I spoke.

"Hi. I overheard you discussing debate proposition. Since you have already disturbed what I was looking forward to be a quiet afternoon, may I join your table, and perhaps, give you pointers or two?" With out waiting for a response, I grabbed an empty chair, sat down, put my coffee mug on the table and said, "You see, it's like this... whats your debate proposition again?"

I informally coached their team, regularly meeting at the coffee shop, and they managed to trump all their opposing teams. They had brilliant minds and great argumentation skills. They just needed to pull themselves together and steer towards a common goal, and not bicker against each other within the team. That started a friendship that went beyond the rudiments of argumentation and debate, politics, love, spirituality and the likes. Since our friendship started with something as political as a discussion about the abolition of the pork barrel, it couldn't be helped when we started calling each other "Your Honor." Hence, the Senate was born.

Years later, most of the Senators have found employment in the City of Man, so when I was in Manila, the Senate Convened.

Senator Loren Legarda with yours Truly, Senator Defensor Santiago

Senators in Session. from Right to Left -Senator Anna Dominique "Nikki" Coseteng, Senator Pia Cayetano, Doc (Senator Legarda's lover) Senator Loren Legarda, and Senator Defensor Santiago

After the Senate Session, Senator Coseteng took me to Palawan 2 Bar. Senator Legarda begged off since she is swamped with work and has a 'jealous' boyfriend (sheessh!).

With Senator Coseteng at Palawan 2

It was so much fun! I immensely enjoyed the impersonators and their funtabulous numbers.

Palawan Beauties strut it in a Dream Girls Number

Another friend from Iloilo who now works in Le Manile also came to be with us at Palawan 2. The effervescent Spice Girl, Geri "Schizophonic" Ginger Spice Halliwell.

With Ginger Spice Geri "Schizophonic" Halliwell

What happened when the show was over seemed to be the highlight of this bar. People started undressing, uhmmm I mean dancing. The show starts way past midnight and ends by the small hours of the morning, so people where a bit more anxious to get hooked before the sun rises and reveal their Cullenish Foundations and shinning shimmering splendid body glitters. The scene shocked my provincial sensibilitites (chos!) Oh well... If you would ask if the Batchoy Boi got hooked up, well... ahem... ask the chubby guy on the far lower left of the picture. He said he's a chef, so, surely, we cooked up something scrumptuous.

Oh well... How could I resist a chubby chinito bumping and grinding and throwing suggestive winks at me? Marupok ako. Besides, I went to Manila to have a pre birthday bash didn't I? Can't help it if he wanted to blow my candle, can I?