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With comedy bars closed, Ate Gay opens siomai business in Tondo

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Leah C. Salterio

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/07/30/1.jpg"/><figcaption>Ate Gay poses in front of his siomai stall</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Last March, comedy bars stopped operations following the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Immediately, all stand-up comedians became jobless. By June, several comedy bars closed for good, leaving hundreds of workers jobless. This news was certainly heartbreaking for comedian Ate Gay, popularly known for his impersonation of superstar Nora Aunor. However, instead of sulking or getting depressed, Ate Gay channeled his efforts to another income-generating venture.Ate Gay converted a small space near his house in Tondo, Manila into a stall that sells siomai, pancit, sinangag and fried rice, with gulaman to drink. He calls his eatery Ate Gay’s Siomai Himala, after Aunor’s popular film, “Himala,” megged by the late Ishmael Bernal.“Ginawa ko lang busy and sarili ko,” Ate Gay told ABS-CBN News. “Rather than doing nothing, naisip ko na mag-negosyo ako. Nagluluto na ako before, lutong bahay lang. So nag-decide ako, why not siomai?”Ate Gay, or Gil Morales in real life, simply added varieties to what he sells at a very affordable price. “Tondo price, hindi pwedeng mahal,” he insisted. “Pang-masa lang. &#x27;Pag mahal kasi, walang bibili.”Siomai sells for only P20 per order of four pieces. With rice (sinangag), the package sells for P35. There’s pancit and siomai sabaw with noodles available for P35. Also offered are siomai bilao and even siomai rice box.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/07/30/2.jpg"/><figcaption>Ate Gay serves his siomai with rice...</figcaption></figure></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/07/30/3.jpg"/><figcaption>or as soup with noodles.</figcaption></figure></div>Ate Gay’s day starts at 9 a.m. when he cooks for the daily offerings. The eatery opens at 10 a.m. An assistant helps him and by noontime, he manages to go home, eat his lunch, take a nap then returns to the siomai place.He makes it a point to be visible in his eatery since the fans often look for him. Ate Gay delights and entertains the customers with his playful and funny gimmicks.“Nagti-TikTok ako madalas because the fans look for me,” he shared. “Minsan may taga-BIR na hinahanap ako dahil gusto lang akong makita.”Admittedly, Ate Gay’s body clock inevitably changed during the lockdown. While he got used to staying up late working in comedy bars, he goes to bed early evening these days.“Lagare pa ako noon sa Zirkoh at Klownz hanggang madaling araw,” he recalled. “Nung lockdown, maaga ako laging natutulog. Ayoko nang nagpupuyat. Tapos, maaga na din akong gumigising. Nasanay na ako na magising ng 7, even 6 a.m.”Ate Gay opened her Siomai Himala business only last July 20. “After only three days, lagi kaming sold out,” he happily bragged. “Very thankful naman ako.”He makes it a point to wear his flaring red and yellow apron and never hesitates to grant photo opportunities to customers and fans. He gets help from only one female assistant, while his elder brother comes in at closing time at around 8 p.m. to wrap up the store’s business for the day.“Kailangan sa morning pa lang, tanchado ko lahat ang niluluto ko,” Ate Gay said. “That way, walang matatapon at masasayang. But so far, palagi nga kaming sold out. Nakatuwa talaga.”He is thankful for whatever small income he earns from his siomai business that helps him and his family to get by. He refuses to get into any networking business venture, where he needs a bigger capital.“Cash ang kita ko dito sa siomai at nabubusog pa ang customers ko,” Ate Gay said. “Alam ko ang pinasukan ko, kaya hindi ako takot dito. Hindi mahirap para sa akin.”The day before this interview, Ate Gay came from his guesting stint for a corporate affair in Taytay. He remains thankful for occasional gigs that manage to land in his not-so-busy schedule lately.In due time, when the pandemic eventually tapers off, Ate Gay wishes to start performing onstage again. “Siyempre hahanapin mo rin talaga ang mag-perform onstage,” Ate Gay said. “Nandoon ang puso ko. So sana, maging maayos na ang lahat soon. Wish naman nating lahat ‘yun.”

Instead of sulking or getting depressed with the closure of comedy bars Zirkoh and Klownz, Ate Gay channeled his efforts to another income-generating venture.

Instead of sulking or getting depressed with the closure of comedy bars Zirkoh and Klownz, Ate Gay channeled his efforts to another income-generating venture.