I arrived at the North Mall just in time to see the semi-final match that Gomez won. Jay was the Referee and I enjoyed watching him work as much as I did watching the match. It is interesting to see a man that can do any job in pool and still play well too.
I have been here in Manila for over a week now and I have a few points to make to help those of you that plan trips in the future related to billiards.
First, don't come here planning to watch a lot of tournaments. These events sell out and are packed with fans. To get a seat, you have to get there very early. Sure, it is fun to watch pool in a packed house, but keep in mind the reality of more pool fans than available arena seating. I watched from the second floor balcony-no seat, and no chance of buying one.
Second, know exactly where you are going and how you will get there. There is no yellow pages here in Manila, and you can't even get a phone number for a business to call them and ask them where they are located.
Third, get used to crowds, really big crowds, and really bad traffic everywhere you go. Diesel fumes hang in the air everywhere, and the noise of the City never stops.
I have visited Paengs (spelling?) Superbowl and the Puyat Super Bowl to play pool, and both were decent pool rooms.
Paengs is in Robinsons Mall on the EDSA near Ortigas Street. You can reach it by taking the MRT3 light rail transport to the Ortigas Station and then hoofing it about half a mile. It is on the top floor on the Ortigas Side of the Mall. The place is clean and they have cold air con with plenty of 9ft tables. I was invited to a game almost immediately. I like this place. I found it only after walking for one hour and 15 minutes in the wrong mall which is located just next door. This wrong mall has a map in its directory that says there is a billiard room in it. There isn't. I also spoke with 5 different people (mostly mall security guards) that always told me the pool room was on the OTHER SIDE of the mall, or the furtherest point away from them possible. There was no pool room, they just bullsh*** me to get me on my way.
Puyat's place is in Makati Cinema Square. I went there tonight and played. This mall is older and had the feel of a neighborhood that was a little rougher than at Paengs. I took the Pasay Street Jeepney there from the MRT Station at the Ayala Street Terminal. The guy I played wasn't very good, but he was friendly and informative. I met the Philippine National Coach while I was playing, and we talked about my favorite female player, Iris Ranola, and Rubilyn Amit. He said that Iris is on the way to China, and that they were trying to get Rubilyn a VISA this year so that she can play in the USA soon. I originally thought the coach was the room manager, as he instructed my racker to keep me off certain tables unless I was a "member." I thought he was a jerk at first, but later he told me that they reserves some tables for training the team. I'm cool with that. In the corner on table 2 was Francisco Bustamante. He was working with some blonde kid about 14 years of age with some type of European accent to his English. The kid didn't look to be very skilled yet, but I was impressed with Bustamante's patience in teaching the kid.
I get out of there at about 730 pm (dark outside), and a guard tells me to take the Libertad Jeepney. I did. I wound up in some back alleyway with a Jeepney Driver, his daughter, and three other dudes, none of which spoke a word of English other than the smiling head nod which means they don't know what the f*** I am talking about. I eventually got his daughter to understand the words MRT, and they pointed me towards the right, with a hooked finger curve. Well, I was off on foot again, didn't know where the hell I was, but I was the only white dude with a custom pool cue on the entire street. I hope they were impressed, but I was really walkng too quick to notice. I eventually found the LRT, a sister to the MRT, and was able to find the right platform entrance to maneuver myself back toward my hotel (after an hour of terminal skipping). Made it back in one very solid piece, as I was compacted well on the Saturday night MRT ride. I think they liked me, as I had to fight my way out of the tin can.
Special notes:
I discovered that many Filipinos would rather point you in the wrong direction trying to be helpful than just tell you they don't know. Don't trust directions from people, plan ahead and figure it out yourself. This will save you a lot of time and maybe save your ass as well. There are places here that you don't want to be at night.
Despite helpful comments from some AZer's, nobody in Manila seems to know where Yo Yo's Billiard Club is. Get an address for us folks.
The Food is outstanding here, and cheap. Gotta love that. Also, the Shopping Malls are so friggin big it is unbelievable. Your girl will love that.
Ok Jay, saw you drop that 2 ball while racking Dude, but nice catch on the rebound (smile). Keep up the good work!
RC
I keep coming back to check on them. Glad you're having a blast in my home country! too bad i myself can't go back as often... 
