Travel safety

[MikeSwede]

10 hours ago, Jack Peterson said:

 

 

Jack, I hope you're not taking comments on the map and message as meant for you. I cheer the messenger, what I question is the bucket of paint they poured right over a large region with no specifics.

I see these warnings from the Swedish foreign office too, and funnily, they don't square with other warnings.

Political agenda, bilateral relations and local presence rule the warnings. For most countries it is still ok to visit Ankara and Istambul. But is it?

To drop down to Gensan and see some friends, or to head into Manila for some window browsing. Which one carries most risks? This is how I think, and in my world Manila is a lot more risky, to me. But whatever happens to me in Manila is covered by insurance while in Gensan not.

Political.

And for gods sake, keep posting those warnings, or we have nothing to yap about

Edited June 19, 2016 by MikeSwede

[virginprune]

11 hours ago, MikeSwede said:

I cheer the messenger, what I question is the bucket of paint they poured right over a large region with no specifics.

 

To drop down to Gensan and see some friends, or to head into Manila for some window browsing. Which one carries most risks? This is how I think, and in my world Manila is a lot more risky, to me. But whatever happens to me in Manila is covered by insurance while in Gensan not.

Political.

 

I agree 100%. 

[Benington]

In various posts in this forum and others I've noticed a tendency to dramatically overstate the safety risks (and unpleasantness) of being a visitor to Manila. Usually coming from Expats resident in areas far from the Capital.

Put it this way...as a visitor to Manila the chance of you being kidnapped is almost zero. Whereas in some areas of Mindanao and a number of other smaller Islands the chance is significantly greater, although still small. You can in no way equate those risks. As far as less serious crime is concerned, of course Manila has its share as any large 3rd World Megapolis would have. Yes, it's not good to hang around too much in Ermita, Malate,Cubao,Caloocan - it's a long list. But there is also a long list of very nice places to shop and be entertained in the Metro eg MOA, Makati,Alabang - even Las Pinas, Paranaque have nice Malls.

Taking normal precautions is the key - as you would even do in London and New York.

Yes, the traffic is heavy, the roads are confusing, it's polluted. Incidentally, I find the driving standard worse outside Manila. Not the traffic enforcers though!

Is this because Expats who settle in far flung areas themselves come from areas far from big cities? 

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, Benington said:

Put it this way...as a visitor to Manila the chance of you being kidnapped is almost zero. Whereas in some areas of Mindanao and a number of other smaller Islands the chance is significantly greater, although still small.

What makes this really ironic, is that the most recent kidnapping in Philppines that I can recall happened in Manila

http://www.philstar.com/metro/2016/04/12/1571902/3-cops-2-others-nabbed-womans-kidnap-slay

But since foreigners were not involved do you think that one does not count?

[robert k]

2 hours ago, Benington said:

In various posts in this forum and others I've noticed a tendency to dramatically overstate the safety risks (and unpleasantness) of being a visitor to Manila. Usually coming from Expats resident in areas far from the Capital.

Put it this way...as a visitor to Manila the chance of you being kidnapped is almost zero. Whereas in some areas of Mindanao and a number of other smaller Islands the chance is significantly greater, although still small. You can in no way equate those risks. As far as less serious crime is concerned, of course Manila has its share as any large 3rd World Megapolis would have. Yes, it's not good to hang around too much in Ermita, Malate,Cubao,Caloocan - it's a long list. But there is also a long list of very nice places to shop and be entertained in the Metro eg MOA, Makati,Alabang - even Las Pinas, Paranaque have nice Malls.

Taking normal precautions is the key - as you would even do in London and New York.

Yes, the traffic is heavy, the roads are confusing, it's polluted. Incidentally, I find the driving standard worse outside Manila. Not the traffic enforcers though!

Is this because Expats who settle in far flung areas themselves come from areas far from big cities? 

Actually I lived for years in Los Angeles Ca. and I think Cubao and Caloocan are much safer. One doesn't want to walk around oblivious anywhere because it doesn't take ill intent to get run over by a jeepney.

[DavidK]

22 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

24/7 with my wife?  She'd kill me!

Nobody asked about the dangers of staying at home.

[Benington]

8 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

What makes this really ironic, is that the most recent kidnapping in Philppines that I can recall happened in Manila

http://www.philstar.com/metro/2016/04/12/1571902/3-cops-2-others-nabbed-womans-kidnap-slay

But since foreigners were not involved do you think that one does not count?

Not at all ironic, Dave, because my post is clearly about far flung Expat residents here, not Manila residents. Of  course kidnapping and other serious crimes against Manila residents "count" - and there are many each week. A few years ago there was a spate of abductions of Chinese business men and women. Tourists also feature weekly being robbed and worse. But they don't count for the purposes of my observation.

Robert K: I see that Caloocan was mentioned in the article above. I included that area as it seems to me to be in TV Patrol's nightly crime round up very often each week. I haven't checked any statistics though

[robert k]

36 minutes ago, Benington said:

Not at all ironic, Dave, because my post is clearly about far flung Expat residents here, not Manila residents. Of  course kidnapping and other serious crimes against Manila residents "count" - and there are many each week. A few years ago there was a spate of abductions of Chinese business men and women. Tourists also feature weekly being robbed and worse. But they don't count for the purposes of my observation.

Robert K: I see that Caloocan was mentioned in the article above. I included that area as it seems to me to be in TV Patrol's nightly crime round up very often each week. I haven't checked any statistics though

I don't know what to say? Maybe the shy and retiring 43 kilo 40 year old Filipina who went grocery shopping with me had them all scared? Or maybe it was because I attended the community basketball games and took jeepneys all over which many people will tell you not to do. People will tell you that taxi don't want to go there, the real reason is because they have damn all chance of getting a fare going back from Bagong Silang 10 Caloocan.

Edited June 20, 2016 by robert k

[virginprune]

16 hours ago, Benington said:

 

Is this because Expats who settle in far flung areas themselves come from areas far from big cities? 

I come from Liverpool and have at times lived in London and Bristol, also Amsterdam and Bangkok for a while? I have never been to Manila and have no longings to visit. I would say that big cities have nothing to offer me that I want anymore, personally speaking.

[Kuya John]

How safe is Mindanao, this comes up from time to time.

Mindanao has the biggest population of Muslim  people in Philippines.

That is probably  the reason most people feel it is not safe to travel to.

I have visited it a least five times, yes there are places there that as a foreigner I would advise  against visiting.

It is also worth noting Filipino's from other parts advise  against travel there too, if they dont speak local dialect.

As pointed out by JGF, Travellers  insurance  will not cover you in area's that have advice warnings.

"It will never happen to me attitude" is all well and good if you only have yourself to consider.

If my wife's family advise us not to come we take their advice.