Pirates Cove Tattoo: Olongapo, Philippines

Steve Hendricks, the owner of Gold Coast Tattoo in Monterey California tells his story about his Pirates Cove Tattoo shop in Olongapo, Philippines. Read about the military base, bars, eating dogs and Good Friday processions. He also has great vintage photos of the surrounding areas.

Gold Coast Tattoo 639 Lighthouse Ave. Monterey, CA 9394

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Philippines “Tattoo is an Art” policy

I think the Bureau of Immigration was watching too many Yakuza films.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano has given the Bureau of Immigration a pat on the back for adopting and implementing the “No Touch, No Contact” and the “Tattoo is an Art” policies on the treatment of tourists, particularly Japanese.

“Relatedly, under the ‘Tattoo is an Art’ policy, no passenger suspected of having tattoo shall be made to show, display or exhibit the same unless coupled with other indicia of waywardness or derogatory information from validated sources. Thus, a mere tattoo, unless either morally offensive, indecent and vulgar, or politically and racially insidious depiction, shall be treated with artistic value,” Libanan’s letter states.

The two policies stemmed from reports of alleged harassment of Japanese tourists by immigration personnel at the country’s international airports, which prompted Durano to bring up the matter to Libanan, both were former colleagues in Congress.

What’s morally offensive, indecent or vulgar? That need to be clearly defined. For some, a tattoo of Jesus is offensive. What about one of Che Guevara? What about this tattoo?

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Troy Montero

by Alvin

You talkn’ to me?

By Jean Pierre Lao