Manila Quezon

Law Enforcement

Philippine drug laws felt “extremely strict, especially for foreigners.” I smoked daily and made deals in front of my condo in a busy part of town. I saw pulisya perhaps five times in three years. That was my luck, not something I’d assume for the next person.

People traded stories about offering US$100 bills and making a pakiusap, an appeal or request, before being taken to the station. One comparison was US$400 on the street versus US$3,000 at the station. The stories suggested flattering the officers, pretending not to understand and keeping ID out of it. The same people warned about “25 years in a Filipino prison.” Those were unverified claims, not dependable ways to handle a police encounter.

Where to Buy Marijuana

Manila, Malate and Pasay

In Malate, yellow tricycles lined up across from Vito Cruz Cityland on Pablo Ocampo Street. “Where to, boss?” they’d ask. I used to ask drivers about marijuana every day before I found a hydro dealer. A number meant you could text next time. I didn’t give my name or address. Shitty stone, but better than nada.

In Pasay, O’Farrell Street off Park Avenue was mentioned, with a contact called Butch and a “fiver” described as about 50 grams.

Baguio, Sagada and Banaue

Sagada was about 14 hours from Manila: bus to Baguio, then another to Sagada. A rough ride, but worth it for hiking, trekking and the mountain scenery. It reminded people of Amsterdam, with coffeeshops and easy offers of sensi, pollen, hash and charas as you got off the bus. The locals spoke excellent English. People smoked in rooms or up in the mountains, and thought the police mainly noticed it near the station.

Baguio was six hours by bus from Cubao. At the Botanical Garden and neighboring parks, horses were everywhere. You could smell the manure at the entrances. Horse handlers sometimes brought weed after you asked. Don’t pay in advance. People called Baguio one of Asia’s biggest cannabis producers, a big claim for what felt like a five-mile town.

Banaue had the Ifugao rice terraces and some sweet hash and weed. People were tolerant and you could get offers, though it felt like a second-rate Sagada for smoke.

Marijuana Prices

In Manila we paid 100 pesos, about US$2, for seven little bags, each about enough for a joint.

Other prices at the time (one exchange-rate quote was 50 pesos to US$1):

• A “fiver” at ₱500 for three to five unpressed stalks.
• A “tea bag” at about ₱50, without a stated weight.
• Sagada hash at ₱80 a gram and pollen at ₱60 a gram.
• Baguio mid-grade weed at ₱1,000 for a claimed 15 grams.
• Baguio Gold at ₱4,000 for a claimed 15 grams.

Bulk quotes included ₱3,000 for a kilo of brick, ₱5,000 for unpressed stalks and ₱2,500 for Baguio mids. Another kilo quote started at US$380. The unpressed stalks could be two to three feet long, sticky and sometimes seedless, with next-day availability and inconsistent quality. A pressed amount the size of a Marlboro box might cost US$50. In Cebu, pre-rolled pinners were a coin toss on quality.

Types of marijuana

Sagada sensi, Baguio Gold and Laguna weed.

More Information

Be careful who you ask. At first it feels like everybody’s trying to rip you off. Then you meet the right people. Smoking with Filipinos and Filipinas was cool: friendly company and plenty to talk about. Good luck.