Covington: Swanky stores in swanky malls

Thursday, February 2, 2012

STORM in a teacup this last week was a couple of items reporting how Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs Ronald Llamas was caught buying pirate DVDs at a Quezon market stall up there in manic Manila.

We've got a member of the Supreme Court living apparently way beyond his means, a past president who might have nobbled the national elections, retiring military men who make off with millions and we're hounding a guy who bought a handful of iffy DVDs? Truly, the Philippines moves in mysterious ways.

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I haven't been up to manic Manila for a couple of decades now and can't speculate why Ron was buying pirate DVDs but in Davao I know why I do. It's not the price -- a genuine DVD can be bought in the swanky stores in the swanky malls for the same cost as a pirate disc -- P100 or less. Nor is it the quality; pirated DVDs (these days) being every bit as good as the genuine article and with the plus of subtitles

(Which Warner Bros and the others don't provide and which, as there's a good deal of mumbling in modern films, old codgers like me need).

Which leaves choice and it's here that the swanky stores in the swanky malls come up short. It's the same old stock, no

"blasts from the past", nothing remotely unusual, unlike the pirate stalls where very often you'll uncover a gem. And what about those old TV series you see advertised on the internet (But can't order because they're a different area and unplayable on our machines)?

Can we buy them at the swanky stores in the swanky malls?

No! Can we order them in same?

No! Will the salesgirls have even heard of them?

No! Which is why we buy from DVD stalls. Don't apologize Ron -- put up a defense. Show them that the DVD industry in the Philippines doesn't cater to the public so the public goes elsewhere.

Another storm in a teacup (or soup bowl) is the media frenzy cranked up by a Department of Science and Technology 'expert' pointing out that much of the nosh at Davao's street food stalls is tainted with all sorts of nasties. My first thought,' Omigod, I've been eating the stuff for twenty years.' but then reflected I'd never been ill -- not

even the dreaded (Deep voice) Ell-Bee-Emm -- but then again, as my old mom used to say, better out than in.

Headline of the week was on Monday, -- "Most cases filed on misuse of government vehicles dismissed."

Surprise, surprise.