Ultimate Guide to Manila's Pretentions

Agent 007 · Nov 23, 1999, 11:11 PM

Guys, my sister forwarded this to me - and I found it sooo interesting..maybe you could
say something about this...here it goes:

The Ultimate Guide to Manila's Pretentions for the City's Great Pretender

Who ever thought Manila's pretentious crowd of Feelings, wannabes, and social climbers could be more colorful than a POLO SPORT emblazoned on a shirt?

They're everywhere now, driving their Honda Civic VTECs, declaring to the world that Tower Records is their favorite music store, and even if they're a decade late, still aspiring to be called, of all things, YUPPIE.

They're a force to be reckoned with, a broad-reaching market. San Miguel
Beer, for example, changed their image from the people's beer of choice to the new monicker SMB. There was nothing wrong with the old concept, except maybe for one commercial where Fernando Po Jr. gazed longingly at the eyes of a deer, then ate it as pulutan with his friends. But the powers-that-be just had to create SMB for the city's great pretenders or YAP (young
affluent pretender), by reating characters, which epitomize this new lucrative breed.

For example, there's a woman who's 'Single By Choice' and a cutesy guy cum 'Net Warrior,' if there ever was a thing, whose favorite food is cold pizza and SMB. YAPs are a marketer's wet dream since they'll lap up everything, buy anything, do what it takes as long as verybody else does.

They're image-driven, caring deeply about belonging, being called something, which they strive madly for: 'IN.' Globe, one of the more visible defenders of YAPs, loved this market so much that they created GenText, an 'exlcusive' club for, of all people, texters.

If you're a YAP, then Makati would be your Mecca. You can dress up in your best designer outfits, splash on the latest cologne or perfume, and go to Starbucks 6750 where, after ordering your favorite frapuccino, you can hang out on the outdoor tables and text your friends about the Y2K bug.

Or if you're feeling more upbeat, head for the nearest Strumm's where you and your buddies can drink, dance, and scream in ecstasy when the band plays Horny. If you want other people to see you, and for you to see other
people, then go to bars like those along the frontage of Glorietta 4 (your favorite
mall); Venezia, which still plays Love is Contagious; and, Giraffe, where spelling out the letters YMCA with your arms is so IN.

But if you call yourself a 'Raver' just because you love to be seen going to raves (a late 80's phenomenon), then your best bet would be to head out to The FORT, and single out the latest bastion of high pretense, Fat Willy's.
If you're lucky, you might even catch a highly-publicized, heavily-commercialized, Lucky Strike-sponsored 'underground' event with 'international' DJ Manolet Dario. If you're really lucky, DJ Mano might just play Madonna's Ray of Light (techno version). And if you're totally blessed , you could bump into Tim Yap and come out in his 2BU column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Congratulations, you're now a full-pledged Yaparazzi!

The Point
---------

Are you happy? See, the point is you don't have to be a YAP. You don't have to be seen dining in Stars, hanging out at Robin da Rosa's Sambo's with his showbiz crowd, or going down to the penultimate depths of pretention: taking Ecstasy and Special K in ABGs (drugs are not good for you, you know).
You're much, much better than what Globe and MTV will ever describe you to be.

So when looking for a good time, forget about everything commercials tell you. It's okay to take the bus, buy second hand clothes, and hang out in places, which pride themselves in having no dress codes.

Forget about the class thing, nobody needs it. Just do whatever it is you feel like doing, wear anything you feel like wearing, evolve into whoever it is you're being.

And remember, you don't have to be called anything but your name, to belong to any clique but your own circle of close and trusted friends, or to be anybody but yourself.

CaRaMBa · Nov 24, 1999, 11:57 AM

This was posted in PEx before.

I forwarded it to my friends. It's a very interesting article. Punta kayo dito for examples.

MsEerie · Nov 25, 1999, 02:08 AM

Aliw nito. Sana ma-feature ako sa Yapparazi when I go to the Fort. Of course me and my barkadings would bring our own beer and hide them in our dressed-up car with stereos blazing. Tapos I would be wearing my tube blouse, short black skirt and high heels. Then I would text my friend who is right beside me how cool we are. Hahahah. Losers!

Lush · Nov 25, 1999, 05:11 AM

What the HELL is a Net Warrior, anyway?!

I've been mocking the stupid SMB commerical in my profile, heheheh

ChiQui · Aug 7, 2000, 01:02 AM

Just moving the topic up.

tr|n|ty · Aug 7, 2000, 07:39 AM

hehehe i read na this before..that's what manila is in a nutshell..sad but true

byby · Aug 7, 2000, 11:16 AM

nice article!

Jacob · Aug 7, 2000, 05:43 PM

YAP personified is Tim Yap himself!!!

BOMBA_STARR · Aug 7, 2000, 10:35 PM

Yeah Man Yeah!!!!! you said it!

Frankly I'm sick of hearing and seeing all those freaking people so concerned about all that sh@#t!

I believe that when you do something, you do it because it comes from the heart! You have a passion for it and it drives you to truly excel through thick and thin through pain and pleasure. Perhaps a few times I've tried being a 'Pretender' -- but I could never really keep at it coz it made me feel exhausted -- the whole thing was pointless!

BOMBA_STARR · Aug 7, 2000, 10:43 PM

Hahahaha! sorry I love this topic!

Did you ever happen to notice so many youngsters( man they even look about 15 yrs old!),flocking to bars forcing themselves to gulp down just a single bottle of beer so that they'd look 'in'. Jeez you could see the suffering in their faces as you know that they've never really developed a taste for the drink but they've just gotta look 'in'.

And as for the Civics and VTECS -- It cracks me up when those people have to call mommy or daddy coz they don't know what to do when they get a flat! hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

virgo14 · Aug 7, 2000, 11:41 PM

you forgot to mention the "i wanna have the latest, most flashy cellphone" phenomena. my friends from there are always comparing and sizing up the different models and features. talk about an absurd obsession!

Free Agent · Aug 8, 2000, 12:09 AM

Hmm... this reminds me of my former English teacher, Rafael Acuña.

dzhon · Aug 8, 2000, 12:14 AM

Gotta move this up...bump...

***AltarBoy^_^*** · Aug 13, 2000, 04:40 PM

Honestly speaking, we can't help it. There will always be people who are social-climbers. I for one would like to admit that I have friends from higher circles and I looked like someone trying hard to fit with them. Of course they tell me what to do, wear, and act. It's a sad and pathetic tale of "fitting in" that affects the masses up to the cream of the crop. The only way we can never lose our own identity with these kind of people is to be flexible. Buti na lang cowboy pa rin ako! Let's be humble lang.

cianoy · Aug 14, 2000, 04:30 PM

This is such a relevant thread. I personally find it sad why people have to pretend. I guess that happens when you're not confident with your self image. I tend to think if you have enough character, you'd be really down to earth.

KuHRant^21 · Aug 14, 2000, 06:51 PM

I really think that the most common reason for the weekly venturing to these prevalent locations is basically to satisfy the need and the inner urge to be noticed and somewhat to be "approved" it's like dancing on top of the table just because everyone's dancing on the floor and the misic is pumpin loud. Parang "papansin" in a way. To the point that going clubbing, bar hopping, wearing the hippest clothes, and sometimes even sneaking out your dad's BMW becomes the very epitome of what a Saturday night is. Tama si Altarboy, dapat cowboy lang and do what you feel you want to do and not be conformed by the ways and dictations of mainstream YAP society.
I have a friend who even surfs the net for the latest trends on clothes para kunwari siya nauuuna sa trend. Sinaabi ko nga he'll look good in a skirt kasi uso na sa Europe, laking tawa ko lang!!!

Vv|cKeD · Aug 14, 2000, 11:25 PM

oh.. i just love this topic

it makes me feel so much better..

virgo14 · Aug 15, 2000, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Free Agent:
Hmm... this reminds me of my former English teacher, Rafael Acuña.

hmmm...is he the ME major turned En 26 teacher? wonder what happened to him...

virgo14 · Aug 15, 2000, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cianoy:
I guess that happens when you're not confident with your self image. I tend to think if you have enough character, you'd be really down to earth.

i whole-heartedly agree.

hudyat · Aug 15, 2000, 09:17 PM

pretension is unfortunately something we have to live by. I work in Manila, and the same thing is true if you talk about the other bastion of this youth generation... Malate.

I go there once in a while to entertain people and I cannot help myself when I see the pretension of the young teenagers there. Wearing there oh so trendy clothes, driving their Dad's oh so trendy cars and yaking or texting it up with the latest cellphone in the market. Its crazy to believe but its true... simplicity as a virtue is gone... replaced by non stop advertising and promotion... geez


Nov 23, 1999, 11:11 PM	#1
Agent 007 Member Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: M16 Headquaters	Guys, my sister forwarded this to me - and I found it sooo interesting..maybe you could say something about this...here it goes: The Ultimate Guide to Manila's Pretentions for the City's Great Pretender Who ever thought Manila's pretentious crowd of Feelings, wannabes, and social climbers could be more colorful than a POLO SPORT emblazoned on a shirt? They're everywhere now, driving their Honda Civic VTECs, declaring to the world that Tower Records is their favorite music store, and even if they're a decade late, still aspiring to be called, of all things, YUPPIE. They're a force to be reckoned with, a broad-reaching market. San Miguel Beer, for example, changed their image from the people's beer of choice to the new monicker SMB. There was nothing wrong with the old concept, except maybe for one commercial where Fernando Po Jr. gazed longingly at the eyes of a deer, then ate it as pulutan with his friends. But the powers-that-be just had to create SMB for the city's great pretenders or YAP (young affluent pretender), by reating characters, which epitomize this new lucrative breed. For example, there's a woman who's 'Single By Choice' and a cutesy guy cum 'Net Warrior,' if there ever was a thing, whose favorite food is cold pizza and SMB. YAPs are a marketer's wet dream since they'll lap up everything, buy anything, do what it takes as long as verybody else does. They're image-driven, caring deeply about belonging, being called something, which they strive madly for: 'IN.' Globe, one of the more visible defenders of YAPs, loved this market so much that they created GenText, an 'exlcusive' club for, of all people, texters. If you're a YAP, then Makati would be your Mecca. You can dress up in your best designer outfits, splash on the latest cologne or perfume, and go to Starbucks 6750 where, after ordering your favorite frapuccino, you can hang out on the outdoor tables and text your friends about the Y2K bug. Or if you're feeling more upbeat, head for the nearest Strumm's where you and your buddies can drink, dance, and scream in ecstasy when the band plays Horny. If you want other people to see you, and for you to see other people, then go to bars like those along the frontage of Glorietta 4 (your favorite mall); Venezia, which still plays Love is Contagious; and, Giraffe, where spelling out the letters YMCA with your arms is so IN. But if you call yourself a 'Raver' just because you love to be seen going to raves (a late 80's phenomenon), then your best bet would be to head out to The FORT, and single out the latest bastion of high pretense, Fat Willy's. If you're lucky, you might even catch a highly-publicized, heavily-commercialized, Lucky Strike-sponsored 'underground' event with 'international' DJ Manolet Dario. If you're really lucky, DJ Mano might just play Madonna's Ray of Light (techno version). And if you're totally blessed , you could bump into Tim Yap and come out in his 2BU column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Congratulations, you're now a full-pledged Yaparazzi! The Point --------- Are you happy? See, the point is you don't have to be a YAP. You don't have to be seen dining in Stars, hanging out at Robin da Rosa's Sambo's with his showbiz crowd, or going down to the penultimate depths of pretention: taking Ecstasy and Special K in ABGs (drugs are not good for you, you know). You're much, much better than what Globe and MTV will ever describe you to be. So when looking for a good time, forget about everything commercials tell you. It's okay to take the bus, buy second hand clothes, and hang out in places, which pride themselves in having no dress codes. Forget about the class thing, nobody needs it. Just do whatever it is you feel like doing, wear anything you feel like wearing, evolve into whoever it is you're being. And remember, you don't have to be called anything but your name, to belong to any clique but your own circle of close and trusted friends, or to be anybody but yourself.


Nov 24, 1999, 11:57 AM	#2
CaRaMBa PEx Consultant Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: happytripper.com	This was posted in PEx before. I forwarded it to my friends. It's a very interesting article. Punta kayo dito for examples.


Nov 25, 1999, 02:08 AM	#3
MsEerie Nothing Join Date: Nov 1999	Aliw nito. Sana ma-feature ako sa Yapparazi when I go to the Fort. Of course me and my barkadings would bring our own beer and hide them in our dressed-up car with stereos blazing. Tapos I would be wearing my tube blouse, short black skirt and high heels. Then I would text my friend who is right beside me how cool we are. Hahahah. Losers!


Nov 25, 1999, 05:11 AM	#4
Lush 2 Cent Whore Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: The Addams Mansion	What the HELL is a Net Warrior, anyway?! I've been mocking the stupid SMB commerical in my profile, heheheh


Aug 7, 2000, 01:02 AM	#5
ChiQui Member Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: Metro_Manila	Just moving the topic up.


Aug 7, 2000, 07:39 AM	#6
tr\|n\|ty the queen bee Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: never neverland	hehehe i read na this before..that's what manila is in a nutshell..sad but true


Aug 7, 2000, 11:16 AM	#7
byby Bacolodnon Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Connecticut	nice article!


Aug 7, 2000, 05:43 PM	#8
Jacob nerd forever Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: Metro_Manila	YAP personified is Tim Yap himself!!!


Aug 7, 2000, 10:35 PM	#9
BOMBA_STARR Member Join Date: Jul 2000	Yeah Man Yeah!!!!! you said it! Frankly I'm sick of hearing and seeing all those freaking people so concerned about all that sh@#t! I believe that when you do something, you do it because it comes from the heart! You have a passion for it and it drives you to truly excel through thick and thin through pain and pleasure. Perhaps a few times I've tried being a 'Pretender' -- but I could never really keep at it coz it made me feel exhausted -- the whole thing was pointless!


Aug 7, 2000, 10:43 PM	#10
BOMBA_STARR Member Join Date: Jul 2000	Hahahaha! sorry I love this topic! Did you ever happen to notice so many youngsters( man they even look about 15 yrs old!),flocking to bars forcing themselves to gulp down just a single bottle of beer so that they'd look 'in'. Jeez you could see the suffering in their faces as you know that they've never really developed a taste for the drink but they've just gotta look 'in'. And as for the Civics and VTECS -- It cracks me up when those people have to call mommy or daddy coz they don't know what to do when they get a flat! hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!


Aug 7, 2000, 11:41 PM	#11
virgo14 Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Alabang	you forgot to mention the "i wanna have the latest, most flashy cellphone" phenomena. my friends from there are always comparing and sizing up the different models and features. talk about an absurd obsession!


Aug 8, 2000, 12:09 AM	#12
Free Agent Member Join Date: Jan 2000	Hmm... this reminds me of my former English teacher, Rafael Acuña.


Aug 8, 2000, 12:14 AM	#13
dzhon Member Join Date: Jun 2000	Gotta move this up...bump...


Aug 13, 2000, 04:40 PM	#14
*AltarBoy^_^* Moderator Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Sanitation Room	Honestly speaking, we can't help it. There will always be people who are social-climbers. I for one would like to admit that I have friends from higher circles and I looked like someone trying hard to fit with them. Of course they tell me what to do, wear, and act. It's a sad and pathetic tale of "fitting in" that affects the masses up to the cream of the crop. The only way we can never lose our own identity with these kind of people is to be flexible. Buti na lang cowboy pa rin ako! Let's be humble lang.


Aug 14, 2000, 04:30 PM	#15
cianoy cianoy Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Metro_Manila	This is such a relevant thread. I personally find it sad why people have to pretend. I guess that happens when you're not confident with your self image. I tend to think if you have enough character, you'd be really down to earth.


Aug 14, 2000, 06:51 PM	#16
KuHRant^21 -ContemporarY- Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Metro_Manila	I really think that the most common reason for the weekly venturing to these prevalent locations is basically to satisfy the need and the inner urge to be noticed and somewhat to be "approved" it's like dancing on top of the table just because everyone's dancing on the floor and the misic is pumpin loud. Parang "papansin" in a way. To the point that going clubbing, bar hopping, wearing the hippest clothes, and sometimes even sneaking out your dad's BMW becomes the very epitome of what a Saturday night is. Tama si Altarboy, dapat cowboy lang and do what you feel you want to do and not be conformed by the ways and dictations of mainstream YAP society. I have a friend who even surfs the net for the latest trends on clothes para kunwari siya nauuuna sa trend. Sinaabi ko nga he'll look good in a skirt kasi uso na sa Europe, laking tawa ko lang!!!


Aug 14, 2000, 11:25 PM	#17
Vv\|cKeD Member Join Date: Jul 2000	oh.. i just love this topic it makes me feel so much better..


Aug 15, 2000, 09:17 PM	#20
hudyat feelingstrangelyfine Join Date: May 2000 Location: Metro_Manila	pretension is unfortunately something we have to live by. I work in Manila, and the same thing is true if you talk about the other bastion of this youth generation... Malate. I go there once in a while to entertain people and I cannot help myself when I see the pretension of the young teenagers there. Wearing there oh so trendy clothes, driving their Dad's oh so trendy cars and yaking or texting it up with the latest cellphone in the market. Its crazy to believe but its true... simplicity as a virtue is gone... replaced by non stop advertising and promotion... geez