Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 has consistently made it to lists of worldwide acclaim… For being one of the absolute worst, that is. From damaged and irreparable building fixtures, leaking toilet facilities, long and inconvenient lines to rude and unhelpful airport and airline staff; well, you get the picture. Because of all the bad reputation that the terminal has been receiving, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) decided to finally give it the long-overdue renovation that it desperately needed.
Like most Filipino international travelers, I was looking forward to seeing the changes myself as the last time I used the terminal was in 2011 when it took more than an hour before my luggage was released in the baggage carousel and none of the staff were willing to hear out a complaint. So yes, I wanted those changes so badly not only as an honest taxpayer but as a Filipino citizen who didn’t want to cower at the idea that foreign tourists’ first glimpse of the Philippines was a lousy international airport.
So did DoTC live up to the expectations of providing a better international airport terminal that Filipinos would be proud of? Unfortunately, the answer is one big resounding NO. Seriously, who are they trying to kid? If I could describe the so-called improvements and overhaul, I’d say NAIA 1 won a free makeover and was dressed up in the tackiest and most pretentious makeup and clothing that tried its best to conceal but failed in the biggest possible way. I didn’t even bother taking photos because there was no reason to. If you want an idea of what I’m talking about, you can check out the government’s Facebook page. Please tell me if you find anything noteworthy in those photos.
So here’s why I think NAIA 1 still (for lack of a better and more fitting term) sucks:
1. Fresh paint and new carpeting do not mean renovation. Yes, the airport was splashed a fresh coat of white paint (and still reeked of it) and lined with newly-purchased gray carpet (that needs to be vacuumed soon), but many things were still undoubtedly out of order. The air-conditioning is inconsistent, with fans and blowers found every few feet away from each other to compensate for lack of cooling throughout the building. The departure area’s ceiling attempts to be covered in a new wood panel with electrical wiring sticking out in several different places. Nothing is new with the baggage carousel that is still marked with dents from wear and tear and becomes over-crowded with passengers of long-haul flights. If this is the mark of 80% programmed works being completed, then I think we wasted taxpayers’ money in attempting to save this terminal.
2. Check-in lines are still long, hard and tough to bear just like liquorice that has gone stale. Because the counters are pre-assigned per airline, passengers have to make do with limited number of counters available for service. I don’t know how many airlines NAIA 1 has under operation so I can’t necessarily do the math but it’s bad enough to have to wait in line for more than an hour to be checked-in on your flight. Kudos, though, for having moved airlines like Cathay Pacific and Delta to NAIA 3 and lessening the congestion in the old terminal, and I do hope they move more of these out soon!
3. Flying in or out of the Philippines is not made memorable with incompetent staff… Not in a positive way, at least. Leaving the Philippines alone, I felt rudely treated by 3 different airport/airline staff — (1) lady in the travel tax cashier counter, (2) lady in the terminal fee counter and (3) gentleman in the Saudia departure gate. All three of these Filipino staff members made me feel stupid when I either asked a simple question on how much the terminal fee was (when there were no signs saying so) or when I mistakenly lined up at their designated area because there were, once again, no signs differentiating which from which. Filipinos are supposedly known for hospitality and respectfulness but these 3 people, whose names I wish I remember, were offensive and impolite. We all understand that airport security needs to be tight but that does not mean forgoing basic manners. What makes matters worse is that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are treated in a more ill-mannered way than non-OFWs. I have seen staff members speak to them as if they were stupid and lost children, but converse with foreign tourists and Expats in a cheerful and polite demeanor. Seriously, what’s the difference? Racially discriminating your own people is such a big shame!
NAIA 1 and DOTC, get your act together! How many more worst lists do we still need to top before truly fixing what needs to be fixed? Spending tons of money on bad renovations does not make anyone happy; at least do something about the air-conditioning. Train your workers to be nicer and more professional than they have ever been their entire lives because that’s what people remember most of all. I’m tired of getting anxious from Philippine tourism getting a bad rep because of one old airport. So please, Philippine government, TRULY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Disclaimer: This post is mainly suitable for females heading over to the Lasema Spa & Sauna found in Makati City. Males can read through it for guidance but may encounter an altogether different experience once there.
Ensogo, an online platform selling discounted merchandise and products, offered a 12-hour stay in Lasema for only Php450.00. The deal was inclusive of the use of dry and wet saunas, common areas, jacuzzi, shower and toiletries, towels and robes and a 1-hour massage. Being bargain fans, my friend and I didn’t pass up the chance to grab such a steal, not exactly seeing an entire picture of what we were getting into. On the onset, we knew Korean spas (locally known in Korea as jiljimbang) from all the dramas and movies we’ve watched, so our curiosities peaked at the idea of living the lives of our favorite characters.
Upon arriving, presenting our vouchers and being handed out our robes, towels and locker keys, we were instructed to remove our shoes prior to heading over to the locker area. Incidentally, we found lockers beside the reception; thinking that that was it, we took off our shoes, left our bags and tried to lock our chosen slots. After several attempts and eventually deciding to give up, the security guard told us that those weren’t the lockers for us, but right ones were located inside the women’s area. Laughing over our first 5 minutes of foolishness and wondering what else we would mistakenly do for the next few hours, we entered the real locker room. Thus began the mantra… “There’s always a first time.”.
Ayee and I: “There’s always a first time.”
Ladies (and gentlemen on some cases), to avoid looking like complete imbeciles on your first trip to Lasema, I give you my Ultimate Top Tips for the Jiljimbang Virgin:
1. Visit on a weekday morning – To maximize your purchase, arrive a little after breakfast. We reserved a slot for a Friday morning to avoid the crowd and that is what we exactly did. We stayed for almost 7 hours and only saw 10 female and 4 male customers during the entire course of our stay; and because of that, there was a lot of space to breathe in, relax and unwind. Imagine going there on a weekend (or on a weeknight when all corporate slaves would go) to find families or friends coming in big groups. Definitely defeats the whole purpose of relaxing.
Peace and Quiet in the Common Room. Mats and pillows are provided for those who want to sleep. but there’s also a TV for those who want some form of entertainment. So best to find the right time to go to the spa if you want to avoid TV-loving crowds.
2. Bring your necessities – Lasema provides the sex-specific robes (for use once inside the common areas) and two medium-sized towels. These towels are just enough to wrap around the head and wipe the sweat off, but if you’re looking for something to wrap around the body after showering, they don’t do the trick. If you don’t feel like going commando, bring a large towel for drying up; otherwise, the Lasema ones would do. Toiletries like shampoo, soap, lotion, alcohol and cotton (and blow-dryers, if I may add) are also provided free-of-charge in the locker area, but if you happen to be brand-conscious, might as well bring your own supply. Speaking of the locker area…
3. Nakedness is next to… You – I cannot stress enough on this… You will see a lot of naked bodies. For the record, robes are only stripped once inside the wet areas of the men and women’s locker rooms; you’ll find the showers, jacuzzi and wet sauna here. Customers are STRICTLY ADVISED to be naked (towels included) and to tie their hair up while using the jacuzzi. Personally, I tried the jacuzzi and the wet sauna; at first, I did feel a bit awkward walking around and sitting in a hot pool of tea naked, but eventually, forgot all about it and allowed myself to relax and literally strip off my inhibitions. I highly recommend you do this. Like traditional jiljimbangs, standing and seating showers are provided for those who don’t mind bearing it all out. You might be wondering, “If I don’t want to strip naked in front of other people, can I still take a shower?”. No need to worry, there 3 shower stalls with doors for those who value their privacy.
Additional Tip: While people are required to wear robes in the common areas, a big question is posed: Are customers required to wear underwear, too? Technically, if you watch Korean shows, Koreans forgo these because the sweat gets absorbed and germs and toxins are trapped in the nether regions. If you’re not too keen on wearing only the robes, have extra cotton underwear that you would usually use during workouts.
4. Hydrate, Hydrate, HYDRATE – Three hot saunas can be found in the common areas, each with its own temperature and effect on the body. These are the Oak & Clay, Salt & Charcoal and Chungito saunas. As first timers, we were advised to try out the saunas in 5-minute intervals — meaning enter one sauna and stay for 5 minutes (there’s an hourglass timer inside), leave and hydrate with water, then enter another sauna after a 5-minute rest. We started with the Salt & Charcoal Sauna and ended with the Chungito.
The Salt & Charcoal Sauna (plays around 50-56 deg. cel.) is good for relaxation, detoxification and stimulation of the body’s metabolism. Those are hot stones on the ground, by the way.
The Salt & Charcoal was a bit painful due to the stones. At first, we could barely step on them because they were hot and sharp but we saw Koreans comfortably lying down on it; so we tried it ourselves and eventually enjoyed the heat on our backs. Even so, our legs and feet were still a bit too sensitive to the heat because of the direct contact with the stones so we kept them up the entire time and kinda looked liked we were giving birth.
The Oak & Clay Sauna (around 49-56 deg cel.) alleviates symptoms of skin problems, is good for women who have recently given birth and asthmatics.
My personal favorite was the Oak & Clay because of the woody scent we inhaled upon entering. The mats were also comfortable for lying or sitting down and the room temperature was just right, just like Baby Bear’s porridge.
The Chungito (the hottest, typically around 72-75 deg. cel.) is a mud sauna that releases negative ions and helps transfer energy to the body.
But nothing prepared us for the heat from the Chungito. Given that they bake eggs here, imagine the heat inside the dome! I only managed a minute on my first try with a towel covering my face because the heat was so hot that it was painful! Ayee only managed 20 seconds; yes, it was really that intense! But seeing how sweaty I was after (and I don’t mean just beads of sweat; I mean sweaty water rolling down from every part of my body imaginable), I figured I should try it again and again because it was perfect for detoxification. I managed two 5-minute tries later during the day and enjoyed roasting myself to perfection.
The Ice Room is best for cooling off especially when coming from the Chungito.
When we exited the Chungito, we made our way to the Ice Room to literally cool off. At temperatures less than 0 deg. cel., the room functions to bring the body temperature and heart rate back to normal. I saw actual steam coming out not just from my breath but from my skin, as well, just like those characters from Dragon Ball Z when they’re about to do some crazy powerful fighting moves.
Top Tip: Really take your time in using all the saunas, that’s why the advised stay in Lasema is 12 hours. It’s not enough to enter all the rooms just once because the body would still be very sensitive to heat; after entering the rooms several times, you’d find yourself sweating more effectively, finding the heat less painful and enjoying the experience. Just don’t end up sleeping in any of the rooms; if you do plan to snooze for a bit, make sure to bring a companion with you to wake you up because you wouldn’t want to end up like a dried fish when you wake up. And again, every single time you leave a sauna, you have to hydrate with lots and lots of water because it’s easy to fall into intense dehydration and to pass out if you’re not too careful. Water dispensers are found inside the locker rooms and can be used for free; you can bring your own water bottle and have it refilled so that you won’t have to make a purchase anymore.
Additional Tip: The whole purpose of the visit is to relax and unwind. Even though it’s highly recommended that you enter the saunas several times, you also need to give your body its much-needed rest. There are sleeping caves provided to those who want to lie down or take a nap. There’s no time limit as to how long you should rest, but do take your time.
Not for the claustrophobic.
5. Massage 101 – Massage sessions are reserved depending on your preferred time. Have yours scheduled soon as you enter the common room; just head on over to the massage counter (found near the food stand). The best time would be around the 2nd-half of your stay when you’ve gone through all the hot saunas and eaten a good meal. Take note, though, that the massage rooms are not privatized. Each room can hold from as little as 1 to 6 people at the most at a given time. If you’re lucky, you can have the room all to yourself and not feel so shy about removing your clothes, but on a crowded hour, don’t expect too much. For women, bras should be removed but panties can still be worn.
The hallway of massage rooms. Get ready for some bone cracking!
The 1-hour massage was one of the best parts of the stay because the massage therapists really knew what they were doing. My therapist targeted my back as it was the most tense part of my body, but she didn’t neglect the other muscles. I was delightfully surprised to also get a semi-foot scrub at the end of the session. Talk about full body massage! If you enjoyed your massage, do give a generous tip to your therapist afterwards.
6. Get ready to eat Korean food – Lasema only serves Korean food. There’s a restaurant conveniently connected to the spa, and guess what, it also serves Korean food! Being a fan of which, this wasn’t a big deal for me; but if you don’t exactly enjoy this cuisine, please give it a try even if just for a day. Why? For one, you don’t have a choice since you can’t bring food in. Another reason is that their food is high in nutrients and is good for detoxification; kimchi, alone, is the perfect proof of this.
We feasted on ramen (Php150.00), mandu (similar to the Chinese dimsum, Php150.00), roasted eggs (Php15.00 each) and iced shikhye (ginger juice, similar to the Philippines’ salabat, Php100.00). All meals come with kimchi and egg-drop soup. Word of caution: The ramen can get very spicy so ask the food attendant to adjust the spiciness level to your liking.
pinkbackpackexplores 