Elections and Beer - They Go Together in the Philippines!

Beer Shortage?

It was just after the local elections where we live on the Island of Samar in the #Philippines. I can remember my friend John complaining that he had not seen the San Miguel beer delivery truck in over a week (yes, you can have your beer delivered to your doorstep here in the Philippines). John doesn't get out much so I just figured he didn't notice the trucks as they passed from inside his mancave. Sitting in his den at his computer perch, the only way he would see a beer truck is if it pulled into his car port! I surmised that he was paying more attention to watching movies and the NFL Draft than looking for the beer truck.

It's Not A Dream!

Fast forward a week - My wife drove to town to do some errands and took with her a case of empty beer bottles. She returned home with that same case of empty bottles. She said the Bodega (warehouse) was out of stock. It was okay I assureed her... we would just have to rely on our trusty sari-sari store across the street for our cold beer. It is only a couple pesos more per bottle, but that's okay. I thought we will replenish during the next trip to town. And until this very day, there has always been beer at the sari-sari store, never fail. But today - nothing! And for the next few days - nothing! There was not a sari-sari store in the entire village that had any beer! WTH?

A couple days after the beer drought, we again drove into town and stopped at the Bodega with our empties. Again, the old gentleman that always waits on us told us "Waray Grande's." (Waray meaning "nothing" or "none" and Grande meaning large bottles) He told us to come back after 3pm that same afternoon because the supply truck was coming later. Later that afternoon we returned as we had to run a few more errands. I had to take some more video for my latest video project anyway. So we stopped in at the Bodega again, as suggested by our elderly curbside beer hop, and as we drove up, he just threw his hands up and shrugged his shoulders. "Waray" is all he could say. So I motioned him over to the car and began my interrogation.

Me: "Why no beer today?"

Attendant: "Today and yesterday, no beer."

Me: "What happened to the San Miguel company?"

Attendant: "Out of stock!"

Me: "I'm beginning to see that, but why?"

Attendant: "Too much demand."

Me: "But there is always demand for beer, right?"

Attendant: "Yes, but now much more demand."

Me: "Why more demand now?"

Attendant: "Many people have election money and now they buy more San Miguel to get drunk."

Me: "Ah, election demand."

Attendant: "Yes, election demand. Until the election is over."

Me: "But the election was over 3 weeks ago!"

Attendant: "But there is still money leftover for drinking."

And There It Was!

So I drove off scratching my head thinking that I will shoot my videos and stop at every sari-sari store in town if I have to until I find a Grande San Miguel that my wife and I could enjoy later in the evening. Then I spotted the truck - an unmistakable white and green San Miguel truck. And it was parked alongside my side of the road, up ahead of me. And it had many cases of beer onboard! Oh Joy this day! I pulled in behind it and immediately unloaded my case of six empty Grande bottles out of the car and handed it to the driver's handler and said "Can you sell me beer?" He responded by saying he could only limit sales of 10 cases to each customer. "One will be all I need, thank you." We exchanged the empty case for a full one, I paid the driver, loaded the case into the car and turned around and headed home. But not before shooting some more video and stopping off for an icy sno-cone at my friends store in town.

What Comes Around Goes Around

I guess it is all beginning to make sense. A local road to our village that was under construction/repair prior to the election has come to a screeching halt a month before the election cycle began. I'm thinking that maybe that earmarked road money found its way to the people for their voting allegiance, and now San Miguel Corporation has all that money - except for my other friend, Carl, who just purchased a new air conditioning system for his convenience store. "Compliments of election cycle spending" he says as he points to the newly installed unit. "Business has been good lately!"

All I could say to that was "I think that is part of the road to my village hanging on your wall!" It's all speculation of course.

It's More Fun Being Retired In Samar in the Philippines!