Schneider
While considered an outdated term, the expression barfine describes a fee paid to a bar or similar establishment where cladly dressed women solicit for prostitution. A patron who pays a barfine compensates an establishment and a particular employee for loss of revenue. In return patron is entitled to take out the employee for private entertainment if mutual consent is found. In the past the barfine would be accompanied by a door pass allowing the employee to leave their working place early and enter other establishments together with her customer for the purpose of barhopping. Normally, female visitors were not allowed to enter any establishment unless working as employees. This gender discrimination is common in red-light districts around the world – effectively banning females to visit brothels geared at male customers seeking female company. According to social science male customers and female providers tend to be more shy with neutral female attendees. It distorts the business fauna. While this rule is enforced in Holland and Germany for example, everything is possible for a price in the Philippines. People get very industrial to make money into their own pockets. Isn’t this cool.
In the past, barfines were understood as a way of payment for sex. Until today, this is still the case in some places like Angeles City and Cebu. Bars and women split the fee in equal shares. In other cities like Makati, Manila or Davao the lion share goes to the bar. The women will most like require additional payment for consentual sex. They will try to negotiate a tip.
Read more: barfine rules and photos from PI Monger
However, legal challenges have contested the validity of this term. Some places have renamed it creatively to “special lady drink” or “party animal bottle” and so on to avoid issues with law enforcement. It’s good to make sure anything between adults will be of mutual consent. However, people with more perverted imaginations will find it harder to find service in the bars and raids are taking place to eliminate any form of such trade.
The amount of barfines are different from city to city and depending on establishment. Subic Bay and Angeles City charge the lowest barfines with around 1300 Pisos in lower class establishments and up to 3000 Pisos for so called spotlight dancers. Waitresses and mamasans are also able to leave their work when barfine is paid. In Makati’s Burgos Street and Manila’s EDSA complex rates start at 3000 Piso. Some upscale Quezon City clubs charge as much as 6000 Pisos in barfine.
Read details: What is a bargirl and where to find them.