I was a sophomore in college when I initiated myself into motels. Pubescent hormones raging, I wanted to get my then girlfriend into a private room. Our makeout sessions had consisted of short bouts of heavy kissing and clumsy groping in the dark corners of our school. We both wanted hours of unbridled passion, free of the fear of being caught and chastised by faculty members. The plan was to skip class, get physical with each other, spend a few hours studying, and then get physical with each other again.

The problem was the room. I looked for hotels that I could afford. All were beyond my budget. All charged overnight rates. We just needed 4 hours, possibly 6.

I knew motels provided short-time accommodations. A blend of the words “motor” and “hotel,” the traditional American variety is meant for the fatigued motorist who has been driving for many hours and is looking for a place to rest and recharge. But in the Philippines, motels are synonymous to sexual trysts. I had visions of dank, sleazy rooms with soiled and stained bed sheets, the odor of sweat and body fluids lingering in the air. I imagined damp towels, shower rooms with mossy tiles, water that smelled of unwashed clothes. I was wrong.

I did some reconnaissance before I took my girlfriend to the motel. The place was cleaner than expected. The sheets were crisp and white. The bathroom was sparkling clean. The room had a cool, fresh scent. It was her first time in a motel as well. We both enjoyed the adventure. For the duration of our relationship, the motel escapades became a regular event.

Even after college, most filipinos still don’t live alone. They either live with their families or with a group of friends who share the rent and other expenses. Some married couples also live with their parents. Couples need a place that ensures privacy and comfort. Even those with children need a moment away for themselves. Their rendezvous should not drain their wallet. A hotel is too expensive. They don’t require an overnight stay. They don’t require room service or fancy decor. All they need is a comfortable bed and a shower for a three-hour moment of sexual intimacy.

Motel owners know this. Decades ago, motels were just rooms with a bed and a shower. Now motel amenities include condoms and performance enhancers. The refrigerator serves ginseng-laced energy drinks aside from the typical softdrinks and alcohol. Inside are love seats and jacuzzis. There are love toys and love lotions. Mirrors surround the bed. X-rated movies are shown. There are bare studio-apartment motels, girlie-bar motels with bloody eye-piercing neon lights, playful motels with garish Austin Power colors. I am a frequent patron of the Victoria Court motels in Pasig. Though not the luxurious five-star hotel, Victoria Court rooms are not dingy, roach-infested dungeons with stained sheets and foul-smelling bath tubs. Bed covers are crisp. The towels are fresh. I ran my finger across the tables and shelves and there was no dust. The bathroom tiles were clean.

Privacy is paramount in motels. You have minimal contact with the motel attendant. They do not look at you straight in the eye. You tell them what room you want and they sweep you inside a garage. A “thumbs-up” sign is given when the room is ready. The garage door is kept closed throughout your stay. There are two doors that separate you and the outside, and between those two doors is a small waiting area with barely enough space for two people to stand. If you order food or other amenities (like an extra box of condoms), the attendant will leave it in that waiting area. The next time you will meet a motel employee is when you hand over the cash to pay for the room. Credit cards are also accepted and nowhere will it say that you stayed in a motel----the charge slip and your statement of account will indicate a nondescript establishment like Pinnacle Enterprises.