Nowadays, getting inked has become “the thing to do.”032 Tattoo, owned by Chow Abinales, is one of the best tattoo parlors around town. If you were wondering what 032 stands for, it refers to the area code for Cebu when using the phone—a sort of homage to the place where the tattoo shop is located.Since 2011, 032 Tattoo has been serving customers high quality and safe ink jobs in the heart of Cebu City.Like most businesses in the service industry, 032 Tattoo had to stop operations at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. But now that restrictions have eased, Chow and his team are slowly getting back to how busy they were pre-pandemic as Cebu’s tattoo parlor of choice.They are exceptionally skilled at portrait and Japanese designs but can accommodate other designs as well such as minimalist tattoos.Aside from this, they stand out through the sanitary standards set. All of their equipment is sterilized to the highest standards, and a new needle is used for every job—a sure-fire sign of quality. The shop at Paseo del sol Juana Osmeña St., which they relocated to shortly before the pandemic, is clean, spacious and well lit.“Cleanliness and safety,” Gieselle, the wife of Chow, said, “That’s where you make an edge, because anyone can tattoo, even those at the side of the street. You have to make sure that your clients get their money’s worth.”032 Tattoo can accommodate up to three customers at a time with fully adjustable recliners, all of which are sanitized for each use. Directly across is the wall of ink, boasting the color spectrum for use in colored designs.Chow and his team of tattoo artists are the prime spot for celebrities and athletes alike including Philippine Basketball Association players Chris Ross and Bryan Heruela.The latest to get inked are celebrity-personalities Kaye Abad and her husband Paul Jake Castillo. With their sons Joaquin and Iñigo in tow, they decided to get a couple’s tattoo: four circles along the wrist to represent their family. Kaye’s circle was colored pink while Paul Jake went blue.032 Tattoo is certainly the parlor of choice for ink enthusiasts in Cebu. After all, “where else can you get a tattoo artist with a heart like Chow’s?” Paul Jake said.For some, getting inked can be unexpectedly painful.“It’s a small tattoo,” said Paul Jake, who has undergone surgeries in the past. “But I think it will take a lot of emotional strength to get another one.”For those on the fence on getting a tattoo, here is some advice from Kaye:“Think hard on what design you like because it’s going to be forever. Don’t get a design because it’s trending or one of your current boyfriend. You can’t erase that ever!“032 Tattoo is located on Paseo del sol Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City.