No, this post is not about the human interest/photography blog.
At the tail end of New York Street, at the corner of E. Rodriguez Avenue in Cubao, Quezon City, with the unmistakeable dusty white signage spelling out the establishment’s four-letter name, is an establishment already well-known to many. Datu Spa has been in the male-to-male spa business for years, decades even – and one could even call it the grandpapi of all massage parlors in the Philippines. While it is definitely not the first of its kind, it certainly has surpassed the hedonistic test and taste of the ever-fickle pink crowd of Manila. Its steady survival, albeit without much fanfare enjoyed by its newer competitors, can be a curious study for one’s MBA (although of course, the study of such business may be futile as its main service is not legitimate yet in the country).
So, what does Datu Spa have that other spas do not?
First, one cannot deny the existence of the spa for many years now. We have seen newer spas emerge, then suddenly go kaput, within a few months of operation, 24 months tops. Mama Rey, its manager, could not pinpoint the year Datu Spa started, but in my own recall, it has already been there when I was in my early teens in the late 1990s. And it has always been there in its present site, where it is accessible through commute, very near to commercial areas (hello, Cubao), and has ample parking spaces. It is safe to say that its longevity is unparalleled. As established existence in the same site – check.
Second, because of its existence, it has definitely built a large network of clientele with a lot of disposable income (read: aged). It is also notable that based on the testimonials of its masseurs, they also have a good number of yuppies (aged 20 to early 30s) among its clients. A steady stream of clients – check.
Third, their masseur lineup is regularly refreshed. A few years back, I remember being terrified by its lineup of masseurs – big, muscular, bouncer-and-daddy-types – which made me think twice of hiring anyone from there. But a visit to the spa now would give you an interesting lineup of well-built, youthful, and smiling young men. They also absorbed the boys of the defunct Onesimus Spa (from Congressional Avenue, Quezon City) and alternate some of their boys in their sister spa, Lakan Spa (along Araneta Avenue, Quezon City). You can check out their lineup through their Facebook accounts Datu Spa; Lakan Spa, and; Onesimus Massage. New boys – check.
Of course, Datu Spa has its share of its weaknesses too. These include an unappealing site and below-the-par facilities (although they have added more VIP rooms that have its own TV, DVD player, and bathroom); inconsistent, and most of the time, below-par massage quality (the quality depends on the masseur); and of course, the exorbitant “extra service” charge vis-a-vis the overall spa experience.
As with any service that one will avail, it is always important to note that customer experience is dependent on the service provider, the prevailing circumstances when the service was availed, and the customer himself. What may be good for one may not be good to another; what may be good one day may change in another day. We all wish for consistency, but some things may change due to circumstances – and as they say, caveat emptor.
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15 January 2015
One uneventful January night, in the middle of Pope Francis’s Manila trip, I was aimlessly browsing Facebook and stumbled upon Onesimus Massage’s page. It was a surprising find, as I know that Onesimus has long halted its operations in its Congressional Avenue site. In its photo albums page, there were a number of new postings of its masseur lineup. All of them seem to be young (but not minor-young) and attractive. One guy stood out – Kenneth.
Kenneth of Datu/Onesimus Spa
Kenneth got me excited, no, make it jolted. I was already in my bed preparing to sleep, but I was instantly drawn to his lanky-athletic frame, innocent smile, and chinito eyes. It was a rare opportunity to encounter a guy that looks like him in the spa business, so I immediately sent a message to the number posted on the page (0906-328-26-43), asked for Kenneth’s availability (he was very much free), confirmed the spa’s location (Onesimus and Datu Spa were one and the same, according to the person on the other line), and booked him at 1AM. It was a fast and easy transaction.
Upon arriving at Datu Spa, it still looked the same compared to the last time I visited in 2011. It was not exactly dingy, but it gave a 1970s city house vibe – maintained, but still old and somehow musty. There was a separate partition where the boys stayed (presumably, the “aquarium”) but I didn’t bother asking for the whole lineup as I have already confirmed my booking with Kenneth, and the other boys were already sleeping there.
Kenneth then led me to the “VIP suite,” which is actually two apartment doors away from Datu’s main site. He brought with him a pirated porn DVD (straight of course) which, according to him, we will watch while in the room.
Inside the VIP room, there was TV, a DVD player, a huge mirror in front of the bed, a side table, and a bathroom. The bathroom was dry and fairly clean, the toilet had a working flush, and the shower had hot water (it malfunctioned later). He asked if I wanted to shower with him before the massage, but I declined as I already did before going there (oh, what a missed opportunity to scrub and explore that nice body!). After showering, he wore his briefs again and started the massage.
His massage, unfortunately, was below-the-par. His hands and kneading were heavy, err, too heavy for my liking. I asked him to just give me a medium-pressure massage and demonstrated how I wanted the long strokes done. He tried his best to follow the instructions, but he definitely needs more training. I don’t want to think that I was wrong for expecting a good massage, but this boy would excite and definitely rake in more clients if he learned how to massage properly.
His massage, unfortunately, was below-the-par. His hands and kneading were heavy, err, too heavy for my liking. I asked him to just give me a medium-pressure massage and demonstrated how I wanted the long strokes done. He tried his best to follow the instructions, but he definitely needs more training. I don’t want to think that I was wrong for expecting a good massage, but this boy would excite and definitely rake in more clients if he learned how to massage properly.
I asked him if he felt weirded out by the fact that he services mostly gay men, but this is not exactly new to him as he learned “the trade” when he was much, much younger. But he doesn’t mind this at all, as the “work” brings food to the table and contribute to the household as he is the eldest child in the family.
I then asked him where he came from and how he ended up working in the spa. The 19-year-old Cabanatuan cutie was recruited by a distant cousin (a cousin of a cousin…well, we all know how everyone seems to be inter-related by blood in the Philippines!) who was also working in the spa because he was good-looking (oh yes, the ticket to everything: good looks!). I then asked him if he felt weirded out by the fact that he services mostly gay men, but this is not exactly new to him as, having prior experience as a hairstyle and ramp model in his town, he learned “the trade” when he was much, much younger (yes, when he was still a minor). But he doesn’t mind this at all, as the “work” brings food to the table and contribute to the household, and that is of utmost importance as he is the eldest child in the family.
Kenneth of Datu/Onesimus Spa
After some half-hour of kneading, he pulled down his underwear and asked if I wanted “the service.” He quoted Php2000. Somehow, I guessed that the extra service might not be worth the price he quoted me given his lackluster massage, so I tried to haggle down to Php1500. He gave out a sweet smile, and politely reasoned out that the Php2000 is the standard na daw. On hindsight, I thought I was lucky enough to book him and his 4.5-inch cock was already pointing to my direction, so I gave in with his price. He provided the usual service – lips grazing on the upper body, delicate tongue play on the nipples, soft body humps, kisses on the nape down to the back – I was in a virgin boyfriend experience, I should say. But then, I had to carry out the reason why I hired him – and that was to EAT HIM. I helped myself to his generous, silky-smooth skin. I smelled and kissed and licked all of him in his 5’9” glory. His soft lips. His broad, swimmer shoulders. His nice-smelling armpits with perfectly-grown hair. His smooth arms. His tiny nipples that are perfect for nibbling. His washboard abs. His sturdy, manly legs that would go on forever. And of course, that cock – not too fat and not too long – that fit perfectly in the mouth. Ah, the wonders of youth!
I didn’t ask to be bottomed, and it was fortunate (or unfortunate, for some) that he admitted that he doesn’t know how to penetrate someone in the ass. We just did a mutual jack-off, but it took us some time to come due to our awkward position and his concentration on the porn DVD that was on TV. I also somehow prevented to end our session early because I wanted to spend more time with this kind and mild-mannered eye candy. By the end of our session, we clocked in at around three hours.
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Kenneth of Datu/Onesimus Spa
Therapist: Kenneth
Spa: Datu Spa, E. Rodriguez Avenue corner New York Street, Cubao, Quezon City
Operation hours: 24 hours
Spa Rate: P500 (regular cubicle); P700 (VIP room)
Parking: Yes
Therapist’s overall physical appeal: 9/10
Demeanor: 9/10
Massage Skills: 4/10
ES: 6.5/10
Spa’s Facility: 7/10 (VIP room)
Ken Loves to Write... 