Safety Concerns And The Current Trend

[Hey Steve]

Good morning/evening everyone. I'm looking at news reports recently that seem to show a downward trend in the outlook regarding safety from neighboring countries visiting the Philippines these days. The news reports (from a global prospective) recently show deepening concerns coming from both South Korea and China regarding thier citizens both living and visiting in the Philippines. (not sure when the next travel advisories will be released...) China is telling all potential  tourists to stay away from the Philippines in light of a recent kidnapping (which was in the Zamboanga area-nothing too unusual in that area-hmm). News reports are also showing how the police themselves are deeply involved in criminal activities as well. More and more it seems no governing body seems to be able to stop or slow this trend down. Add to the mix the already criminal behavior peppered through the land which is pretty much common knowledge. Now, we all know the issues regarding certain areas in Mindanao and the militant factions in those areas that we are all well advised to steer clear of, but I guess what I'm asking is "Do any of you feel more today than years past that safety in general in the Philippines will soon become a talking point as to continuing to stay as an Expat?" ....or is it a trend as what goes up must come down?

Edited September 12, 2014 by Hey Steve

[Old55]

No one knows the true crime rate in Philippines. We all know there is little justice in Philippines unless you are connected to a powerful family. For the most part Filipino police and government are ineffective, corrupt and lack the means or the will to fight crime. 

China has taken over Spratly Islands and is in a war of words with Philippines in the media. Chinese media is pleased to bad mouth Philippines at any opportunity. Chinese gangs are active in Philippines mixing and shipping Meth.

Korean organized crime is active in Philippines and in part responsible for the death of some Korean citizens in Philippines.

Good question, I too am curious what those living there now think of safety in Philippines. I know for a fact some areas around Cebu City have become dangerous the past few years due to Meth-Shabu induced crime.  

[jpbago]

I know for a fact some areas around Cebu City have become dangerous the past few years due to Meth-Shabu induced crime.  

 

Poverty and shabu are a bad mix. Rich people and cocaine are no problem. The shabu freaks don't sleep for days, just wandering around looking for more. It used to be that you only had to worry at night, but here, there have been a number of daytime home invasions and muggings. I have seen documentaries on how meth has devastated some mid west towns in the USA. Also the drivers on shabu are something to avoid. With no enforcement, I can see this problem getting worse.

 

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2014/09/12/police-chief-relieved-365121

Edited September 13, 2014 by jpbago

[scott h]

Going on 2 years here (in a suburb of Manila). I personally don't feel any less safe here than I did in any other big city I lived in in USA or other countries I visited. But then again I didn't visit or hang around in red light districts (except as a young Marine :nudie: ) there or here in the Philippines. I knew what neighborhoods were bad in the USA and its just as easy to figure them out here. I walk a couple of miles a day for exercise and have not had a single problem. I was told by a trike driver once about a certain alley where drug users hang out, so I don't walk down that alley, I wandered into an area on a weekend where there were nothing but warehouses, a couple of worker drinking places and few people, I don't walk there anymore. I don't wear fancy cloths, lots of jewelry or a big watch, I don't carry a fancy cell phone, I don't drive a flashy car.

 

There have been several high profile carjacking/kidnapping/extortion stories in the news lately. Have you noticed a common thread in most of them? Lots of cash on hand, shady reasons for having it, they talked to someone who tipped the bad guys off. My take on it is don't carry lots of cash, don't get into shady deals and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

About the dirty cops? Yep they have them here, but if you think for a second there are not a certain % of dirty cops in the states who shake down drug dealers, take protection money or free rolls in the hay from hookers? Well you don't know many cops :tiphat: . (I cant speak for Canada, Australia, England or any other countries members come from but I would be willing to bet its the same there).

 

The most commonly referred to "cop corruption" here is the "traffic shakedown". By my direct observation and experience this is not so much corruption as convience to the Filipino people. Here if you break a traffic law (and get caught, mine was driving on a day when my car was "coded" off the roads). The enforcer wrote me a ticket, and took my drivers license, I had to go to the local cop shop (in the city where the offence occurred) pay the fine and get my license back. A few months latter I was in northern Manila, made a unsafe lane change was flagged down and was gonna get another ticket. I asked how much the fine was. I was told it was P500 (sounded about right). I asked if I could just pay the fine there and then, was told yes and I did. Did the "fine" go into the city coffers? I don't know and don't care, all I know is that I didn't have to shlep all the way back to city hall a week later.

 

Bottom line is that if a person doesn't go looking for trouble here, trouble will most likely not go looking for him. Having said that, lighting has been known to strike people everyso often :tiphat: .

[Hey Steve]

Wow Scott..this is why this forum is a goldmine-with boots on the ground experience. The value of expats such as yourself and others IN the Philippines sharing the true reality and giving this advice to those of us not yet there is invaluable. In a lot of ways we have to rely on the media for a lot of information from the outside looking in vs the reality of what you describe and the experience with your every day lives. Thanks for the reality check. It seems it's the same yesterday-as it is today-as it will be tomorrow for the expat armed with common sense as being his best weapon. 

I suppose if there is REAL cause for alarm for expat safety...I will likely find it here (and that's a big IF).

[jon1]

I agree with Scott. Common sense goes a long ways over here (as very few have any :)) ). 

 

Another way to keep out of the cross hairs is to not start up a business. Competition is keen and just when you think you have found your niche, someone will come along and muscle you out or rub you out to take over said enterprise.

[jpbago]

The news reports (from a global prospective) recently show deepening concerns coming from both South Korea and China regarding thier citizens both living and visiting in the Philippines. (not sure when the next travel advisories will be released...) China is telling all potential  tourists to stay away from the Philippines in light of a recent kidnapping (which was in the Zamboanga area-nothing too unusual in that area-hmm).

 

Korea is also issuing warnings to it's people: 

 

Just recently, the Korean Embassy expressed alarm over the rising number of Koreans killed by criminals in the Philippines since early this year.

Ambassador Hyuk Lee warned that Korean businessmen will avoid the Philippines and seek safer places for doing business if crimes against Koreans persist.

“The rising incidence of crimes committed against Koreans while in the Philippines either on vacation or on business is a trend that has alarmed the embassy of the Republic of Korea,” he said.

This is in today's Manila Times: http://www.manilatimes.net/gunmen-abduct-korean-businessman-zamboanga/126183/

[robert k]

I wonder if things have truly gotten worse or if it's just more press coverage?

 

Last year I had a pedicab driver tell me it wasn't safe at the Iloilo port when I just missed the last ferry. Actually he was the only one bothering me. I sent him off to find us a cab to take us and a young filipino family with a newborn to Dumangas pier because otherwise the baby would have been out all night with no cover because they were going to wait for the next ferry departing Iloilo at 6 AM. That was about the only time I can recall having any real concern at all. I walked for hours around Quezon city when I was there, the polution was a bigger hazard than the residents but I am a big guy only pushing 50 and don't walk around with my head in the clouds. I think paying attention to your surroundings is the decisive factor. If it looks like you don't belong there, then you probably don't.

[Julia]

don't carry lots of cash, don't get into shady deals and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

:th_exactly:

[Americano]

 

The news reports (from a global prospective) recently show deepening concerns coming from both South Korea and China regarding thier citizens both living and visiting in the Philippines. (not sure when the next travel advisories will be released...) China is telling all potential  tourists to stay away from the Philippines in light of a recent kidnapping (which was in the Zamboanga area-nothing too unusual in that area-hmm).

 

Korea is also issuing warnings to it's people: 

 

Just recently, the Korean Embassy expressed alarm over the rising number of Koreans killed by criminals in the Philippines since early this year.

Ambassador Hyuk Lee warned that Korean businessmen will avoid the Philippines and seek safer places for doing business if crimes against Koreans persist.

“The rising incidence of crimes committed against Koreans while in the Philippines either on vacation or on business is a trend that has alarmed the embassy of the Republic of Korea,” he said.

This is in today's Manila Times: http://www.manilatimes.net/gunmen-abduct-korean-businessman-zamboanga/126183/

 

 

Quoting from the news article  "Initial investigation showed that the gunmen barged into the house of Li in Kabansalan town at around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday."

 

First of all he should have known better than to live in Zamboanga where the terrorist groups live and operate.  I make trips to Mindanao every year but would never live in Zamboanga or even go there for a one day trip.   Next the kidnapers should not be able to  "Barged into the house"  If you expect to be safe anywhere in the Philippines at night you need a secure location to live in.  For the minimum you need a security fence, iron bars on all windows, and sturdy doors with dead bolt locks that are always kept locked at night.  I keep mine locked 24 hours per day.  As someone said, assaults and robberies are happening during the day too.  A few months ago my neighbor was at work and his kids in school when someone broke into his apartment at about 10AM. The robber just used a flat tip screw driver to get in the front door because he didn't have a dead bolt lock.  The robber took his laptop, 9mm pistol, his 3 children's cell phones, and some cash.  Now my neighbor has a dead bolt lock.  Better late than never.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Americano