Is Northern Samar Safe?

[ekimswish]

I loved Samar when I went on my one day visit to Borongan, a 4 hour van ride from Tacloban. I imagine it would be a shorter ride now since they apparently fixed the road that we spent 2 hours crawling over at a snails pace. It was a lot poorer than Leyte is, but there also seemed to be a lot of natural beauty just within reach. Leyte has a lot of "plains" and forest before the mountains, but in Samar, it seemed like I was always just staring up at the cliffs and mountains from the road in front of them. I'd love to go back some day if possible.

[Papa Carl]

Don't know the answer to this question, but what I do know is that there are a great number of girls working in Angeles who are from Samar and Leyte. Maybe they think it is safer here then it is there?

No, it can't be the reason they are here.

Don't ask the question, how do I know where these girls come from, I refuse to answer any question that might incriminate me!!!

In all honesty, I did come by this information without actually going to the places these girls work from...., it is true!!!! Honestly!!!!! It is True!!!!

OK, don't believe me then!!!

Papa Carl

[ekimswish]

Don't know the answer to this question, but what I do know is that there are a great number of girls working in Angeles who are from Samar and Leyte. Maybe they think it is safer here then it is there?

No, it can't be the reason they are here.

Don't ask the question, how do I know where these girls come from, I refuse to answer any question that might incriminate me!!!

In all honesty, I did come by this information without actually going to the places these girls work from...., it is true!!!! Honestly!!!!! It is True!!!!

OK, don't believe me then!!!

Papa Carl

I'd imagine that's due to poverty, especially in the case of Samar. I don't know of many Leyte girls from where we are that are in Angeles, but I doubt they'd advertise it if they were. I've heard of local women who used to be "working girls," and are now wealthy and have "rich" foreign husbands, and may have immigrated abroad. Don't know how many there are like this, or if the stories about the one or two I've heard of are even true, but that's what I've heard.

I could assume that there's enough work in Cebu for Cebu girls.

[Papa Carl]

I too found it surprising, but in fact out of the 200+ bars and clubs here, over half of them are almost exclusively girls from Samar, and Leyte. I have been doing some research in regards to the Hotels, Restaurants, Clubs etc. in Angeles, in relation to a Crime Watch scheme, and I have interviewed several hundred girls, so I know this information is direct and accurate

[Jollygoodfellow]

I too found it surprising, but in fact out of the 200+ bars and clubs here, over half of them are almost exclusively girls from Samar, and Leyte. I have been doing some research in regards to the Hotels, Restaurants, Clubs etc. in Angeles, in relation to a Crime Watch scheme, and I have interviewed several hundred girls, so I know this information is direct and accurate

Got to ask, are you sure what they are telling you is true or just whats considered the best thing to say when asked?

[ekimswish]

I too found it surprising, but in fact out of the 200+ bars and clubs here, over half of them are almost exclusively girls from Samar, and Leyte. I have been doing some research in regards to the Hotels, Restaurants, Clubs etc. in Angeles, in relation to a Crime Watch scheme, and I have interviewed several hundred girls, so I know this information is direct and accurate

Got to ask, are you sure what they are telling you is true or just whats considered the best thing to say when asked?

I might sound like a bitter-Leyte fellow for bringing it up again, but maybe the Leyte side of this is being dragged in mostly by Samar? They are usually lumped in together as people often say Leyte-Samar or Samar-Leyte when referring to the Waray-waray culture and language. The blinding truth is, if you've been to both places, that Samar is FAR poorer than Leyte, hence, in my view, more likely to send girls to work in bars. Of course, I don't doubt there are a fair share of Leyte girls, but a "fair-share" from my perspective must take into account the ratio of poor and degree of poverty in both areas.

[Retired in Samar]

Don't know the answer to this question, but what I do know is that there are a great number of girls working in Angeles who are from Samar and Leyte. Maybe they think it is safer here then it is there?

No, it can't be the reason they are here.

Don't ask the question, how do I know where these girls come from, I refuse to answer any question that might incriminate me!!!

In all honesty, I did come by this information without actually going to the places these girls work from...., it is true!!!! Honestly!!!!! It is True!!!!

OK, don't believe me then!!!

Papa Carl

Sorry for my late arrival, but I've been busy visiting, building, and scoping out Samar. The answer to your question is simple...there are no opportunities for them girls in Samar, or at least maybe back at that time. Samar is emerging as a diamond in the rough, and yes it is one of the least traveled to places in the Philippines. But that is changing. Samar holds an abundance of natural 'unspoiled' beauty and is being discovered as I write this. My asawa is from the Calbayog City area which is exploding in development. We have built our home along the coast about 8 clicks north of Calbayog and is where we will spend our retirement. The NPA is generally regarded as a bunch of good people who have a big problem with corruption and overall bad governance and really pose no problem to foreigners. Their beef is with a government that is not representative of the people, and one that has neglected the most basic needs of the people (like infrastructure). Many of the people of Samar (and Leyte) are poor farmers and agriculturalists who struggle to even get their product to market because resulting from the country's failure to invest in projects like roads and bridges and electrical and water distribution systems. I think they have earned a reason to be upset. When was the last time anyone heard of the NPA doing harm to a foreigner? 

Edited February 28, 2013 by Jollygoodfellow
-one more push to a blog and out. Removed sneaky shit

[ekimswish]

Don't know the answer to this question, but what I do know is that there are a great number of girls working in Angeles who are from Samar and Leyte. Maybe they think it is safer here then it is there?

No, it can't be the reason they are here.

Don't ask the question, how do I know where these girls come from, I refuse to answer any question that might incriminate me!!!

In all honesty, I did come by this information without actually going to the places these girls work from...., it is true!!!! Honestly!!!!! It is True!!!!

OK, don't believe me then!!!

Papa Carl

Sorry for my late arrival, but I've been busy visiting, building, and scoping out Samar. The answer to your question is simple...there are no opportunities for them girls in Samar, or at least maybe back at that time. Samar is emerging as a diamond in the rough, and yes it is one of the least traveled to places in the Philippines. But that is changing. Samar holds an abundance of natural 'unspoiled' beauty and is being discovered as I write this. My asawa is from the Calbayog City area which is exploding in development. We have built our home along the coast about 8 clicks north of Calbayog and is where we will spend our retirement. The NPA is generally regarded as a bunch of good people who have a big problem with corruption and overall bad governance and really pose no problem to foreigners. Their beef is with a government that is not representative of the people, and one that has neglected the most basic needs of the people (like infrastructure). Many of the people of Samar (and Leyte) are poor farmers and agriculturalists who struggle to even get their product to market because resulting from the country's failure to invest in projects like roads and bridges and electrical and water distribution systems. I think they have earned a reason to be upset. When was the last time anyone heard of the NPA doing harm to a foreigner? 

I was just telling my coworker about Samar today on the drive home from work. I was telling him how there are potentially a lot of great surfing places there but because of the lack of infrastructure people have a hard time finding them or hearing about them.