So this huge SM Mall is supposed to be opening on Clark around May/June/July.

Some have theorized that the opening of this mall will coincide with a huge crackdown/shutdown on Fields Avenue that will eventually lead to the closure of all of the bars, much like Ermita was cleaned up in the 90's.

I certainly don't know. But it should be interesting to follow. I once saw pictures of the mall but can't seem to find them now. The building/mall itself seems to be coming along quite rapidly. And I am sure having a prostitution district so close to the mall will not be a good thing in the eyes of the local politicos.

We'll just have to see if there is a real effort to close the bars or if they are allowed to stay. Are the rumors justified or just hyped up?

It's hype. The mall opened up and Fields is still booming as usual. One of my barfines just bought her phone at this mall. It wouldn't make fiscal sense to deplete a source of income for the SM mall, so maybe it was all a rumor to begin with.

mall fully functional now.nice,huge,clean.best place to eat food.alas, came to know about that at the end of trip.

Awesome Mall. Be sure to go to Jerry's to eat. It's right next to the McDonalds. Great USA style Chili's type resturant. Steak, Blue Marlin steak, Squid, Green Mango Shakes, Egg Rolls. Yum!
Prices are cheeper than Fields - and it's only a short way away.

And beats the shit out of that crappy food at Margarita Station, at least IMO.

SM Mall is an evil omen of the demise of AC

Fact is, Filipinas dont need bars to make money any more with the internet. They can make money as cyberbeggars or camgirls and they can still fuck their local bf or tbird without the jealousy issues. Building large modern malls near a third world shithole says a lot of things. Mainly it says tons of money is being sent from the outside....more money than ever before and its not necessarily going to bargirls. It also says that Filpinos live for the moment. The girls may live in a shack with their unggoy drunk bf but they will always make sure they spend money as soon as they get it and what better place to spend it than a new mall with aircon....of course videoke and treating your unemployed bf at SkyTraxx is a close second.

It's been open and fully functional for a year and a half already.

It's just that nobody has posted on this old dead thread since May 06-- until now.

Far from an awesome mall IMO . Has very few useful stores except for fast food outlets. The theaters are a nice diversion during the day but crappy movie selection most of the time.

a bit more information on remitances to the Phillipines -from the Sun Star Manila-it is these remitances that are fueling the malls

The Ifad's estimate of US$14.6 billion in 2006 remittances to the Philippines is US$600 million higher than the US$14 billion "officially assessed" volume of money sent home by OFWs that year.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) previously reported a total of US$12.8 billion in remittances coursed through banks last year, plus another US$1.2 billion that came in via non-bank channels, or a total of US$14 billion.

The Ifad's calculation was based on official data from governments, banks, and money transfer agents as well as on estimates of informal flows, such as money carried home.

Re: the crappy movie selection--I finally saw my first Philippine movie, and I was with three cuties, and it was money well-spent! It was a nice diversion, and the girls abso-fuckin'lutely loved it!

Made me feel like I had dipped my feet in a nice cultural exploration---something that's hard to find in AC. In Manila, or going to other islands than Luzon-- you can go to some touristy locations. . . .but it was kinda nice to feel like I had expanded my horizons--I guess like going to the temple or feeding an elephant in Thailand--it feeds the imagination of non-travelers who hear your story--and for those suspicious of your travels they get to hear a redemption story so you don't feel like a total monger!

To be honest, I don't know if I could handle more than seven days straight in AC w/out losing my mind! Maybe if I was Catholic I could go to church--heh heh!

By the way, the movie was a campy horror flick--there goes my redemption!

I take girls to the movies at the SM mall all the time and their movie options are first rate IMO.

If you feel the need to pray or attend mass at a nice Catholic Church, stroll down Mac Arthur towards the casino and keep walking and you will find the Immaculate Conception church. It is about a two mile hike.

"If you feel the need to pray..."

The only time I have such feelings is when I have a girl on all fours while I'm plowing her back forty, and I feel I should be giving thanks. But the idea of wandering off to a Catholic Church doesn't cross my mind

You could always try this place if you can't find a church.

Way too much help !!

Walked the entire length of this shopping mall yesterday. I've been going in there every day, but just for my morning coffee, or to do business at the bank. Didn't venture past the movie theater until now. Much to my surprise, they even have a supermarket in there, called Hypermarket. The place looks very clean. But this mall is equivalent to the SM mall in Bacolod. Same layout. only I think this one has a lot more to offer. Lots of nice shops.

Can anyone tell me...the Kenny Rogers Roaster..is that THE Kenny Rogers of US country music fame who owns a chain of restaurants in the Philippines? I saw the same restaurant chain in Davao last year. The mall is also a great pick up spot to meet women. Much like the same in Cebu.

Yes - it is the same - but try out Jerry's Grill - and get the "Chili Pepper" appetiser along with a GREEN mango shake. The food is really good! Hey MB, I went to the Starbucks every morning around 11am or so last week - you probably saw me...

Oh, also go to the food court and get a Zagu Strawberry drink. They are amazing and "42 pesos only sir."

Yeah, you know something Metal Nuts, I do vaguely remember seeing one guy, (I won't give a full description out of respect to your privacy) who was wearing an "Iron Maiden" T-shirt and the thought of him possibly being a CH member did cross my mind. There was another American guy at the bank three days ago proudly displaying a real nice embroidered "Black Sabbath" T-shirt. You're not the owner of the above-described apparel, by any chance, are you?

And speaking of wild coincidences, after meeting with El Apodo, I come to find out out there are quite a few mongers here, one being Monger X, who was quite literally staying right across the way from my hotel room. He even knocked on my door but I was out. I would have loved to have met him, had a few brews and shared some mongering stories.

Master Bates