From the Midwest redneck author of "The Rooster Crows at 4am!," "Lizard Poop!," and "The Philippines Expat Advisor"
Thirteen-Year-Old Drinkers at the Manggahan Festival in Guimaras
Went to the Manggahan Festival in Guimaras this past Wednesday evening. My asawa and I took our 11-year-old nephew, Sharwin, and 13-year-old niece, Shaina, with us. Got a bottle of San Miguel Pale Pilsen for myself and a bottle of San Miguel Light for my spouse. Sharwin and Shaina had bottles of Pepsi. Evidently, I could have purchased a couple of the brews for our niece and nephew that live with us at "The Compound" without any problem. 
When I first spied the group of young drinkers,I asked my asawa what the minimum drinking age was in the Philippines. My spouse told me she was not aware of any minimum age requirement, and when she was a small child she would be offered a beer occasionally. "Really!" I exclaimed. "In America you have to be 18 or 21 depending on what state you live in before you could legally drink. But, teenagers in America do drink of course, but illegally, and certainly not in public."
So I went over to the owner of the restaurant at the Manggahan Festival, and asked the lady-in-charge the same question I asked my wife: "What was the minimum drinking in the Philippines?" I told her I noticed the table of young revelers which would not be legally allowed in America. With a somewhat quizzical look on her face, the owner informed there is no age limit, confirming what my wife said.
Research I did on the Internet stated that the legal minimum drinking age in the Philippines is 18, but that the law is widely ignored especially during fiesta time and other celebrations.
So when my asawa and I went back to the Festival this past Friday night, and before I headed over to my favorite place to have a Red Horse beer, I decided to ask a Philippine National Police Officer (PNP) if he was aware of what the minimum drinking age in the Philippines was, or if there was even such a law. I told him I had seen online that the age was 18. The friendly, and highly decorated officer, who had more ribbons on his uniform than a four-star general, advised me he knew of no such law.
I explained to him about our previous visit, and that some of the teen-aged drinkers were as young as 13. The officer told me that the establishments should not sell beer to someone that young, and that he would look into it. I told him I was not trying to get anyone in trouble, and if that's acceptable in their culture, it's fine with me. My wife then came over, and I told the lawman that my asawa and I lived in Guimaras. He was so pleased to hear that we were residents and asked how I like living in the Philippines. "I love the Philippines!" was my enthusiastic reply.
I thanked him for the information, and he thanked me for bringing the underage drinking issue to his attention. "Well, I'm off to drink some Red Horses now" I said as we walked away. "You know an old guy like me is old enough to drink!" "You're still a young man!" he said. "Salamat, po! (Thank you, sir!") Then I plunked down 60 pesos for a San Miguel Light for my asawa and a Red Horse for me. The evening was just getting started.
Most laws in Philippines are copied from the U.S. but are not inforced. Cigarettes and alcohol drinks are not supposed to be sold to minors. But you can send eight or ten year old kids to buy same from store with no question asked. I have seen cops standing around watching kids gamble and not say anything. I think they just don’t like doing paperwork when they have to inforce the laws or will not get paid by law breakers.
When the kids here see their parents flaunting the law starting at such an early age it becomes normal and ingrained so that when the kid grows up he/she sees it as “no big deal”.
Good point, George. I see young kids smoking cigarettes quite frequently, along with the under-aged drinkers I wrote about. To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t personally have an issue with it. If that’s the way the culture is, who am I to try and change it? But the paperwork angle is probably true.
That’s true, Tony. My Dad’s side of the family were German, and beer drinking at a young age was common. The conditions under which you grow up of course will strongly influence your behavior. As I remarked earlier, I have no particular issue with this, it’s not my place to force my cultural views on another country. I guess it’s better than the kids getting in a vehicle drunk and killing themselves or someone else.
I was telling my girl friends brother in law about the drinking laws in New Zealand and he was absolutely astounded. He said it should not be up to the government to say when a child is old enough to drink, it should be up to the parents. This logic might work in the Philippines, in New Zealand it would be a disaster.
Thanks for the observation, Murray. I think that letting the parents decide in the Philippines seems to be working. The less government interference, in my opinion, the better.
I have posted before about my drinking at the tender age of 13 so I better not say anything. Here in Tagum City they are more worried about the kids sniffing glue than drinking. Talk about brain damage, glue can do that and very quickly. The doctor took me off of beer and wine. Spikes my blood sugar and I don’t need that.
BTW – Do they have “Happy Hour” here in the Philippines??? When I left the States many places were doing away with it. Too many cheap drunks I guess.
Gary
Yea glue can really fry your brain. I try to tell the young people about marijuana too, about killing brain cells and slows reaction time. But of course most of them don’t want to here it. Hope your doing better with your diabetes. Take care
That is why I love the Philippines. They don’t stress about everything. Let them have a good time. The only reason we are having this conversation is because of “Western” thinking and with that type of thinking we assume that we have the answers for everyone else. I know Dave you are not like that. I think it is more of an unlearning process than a learning process.
The Philippines is fine like it is. It is not America (thank God for that).
I just long for the day when I can spend my time meeting good friends for life like Dave and learning a new way of life like in the Philippines..
Dave thanks for the post!!
Thanks Papa Duck, I am doing the best I can with what I have to work with. The last time I got on the scale the needle hit 208 lbs. That sure beats the 288 back in 2004. The heat here in the Philippines is really helping also. The blood flow in my hands and feet is so much better. It snowed in Michigan yesterday, hahahahahahahahahaha.
Dave,
It depends on the parents. It’s the teenager risk of their parents getting mad if they drink or not. A parent getting mad in the Philippines and the USA is much different also (but that is another (future?) article).
Glue sniffing is a huge problem here, Gary, you’re right. I really don’t hear a lot about problems with teen drinking. “Happy Hour” in the Philippines? I did see a couple of places in the SM City Mega Mall in Fairview, Metro Manila area, that had “Happy Hours” banners posted on their window advertising bucketfuls of San Miguel.
Good to hear from you, Randall/ Absolutely, things are laid back here, and the LAST thing that is needed in the Philippines is more “Western’ thinking and American influences.
Couldn’t agree more with your statement, Randall: “The Philippines is fine like it is. It is not America (thank God for that).” Amen, to that!
When you get here we’ll have to share a Red Horse or two, or three. Good luck on your future plans.
Congratulations, Gary. Man, that heat and humidity has been terrible the past week, too, summer is finally hitting us.
Huge difference, indeed, Jack, about the parents reaction in the States versus the Philippines. It IS a good idea for a future article, thanks!