Moving to the Philippines? Do you think that's safe?

[boyee]

I recently told a very close friend of mine that my wife and I bought a farm in the Philippines and are making arrangements to move in a few years.  With a perplexed facial expression he explained, "The Philippines!  But is that safe!?  To be honest I really don't know.  It's not gated nor would I want to live in a gated community.  I'll have to sell all my firearms before we move and I know I cannot own one there so I will have less home protection.  I didn't know what to tell him because I've only been in the PH as a tourist and those were nice places.    So I asked him how much he bought his house for.  He said about $1.3 million, It was an older fixer upper.  His immediate block is very nice but all the surrounding neighborhoods are ghetto.  "How often do you hear gun shots"  I asked him.  "Well, every night" he replied.  "but, most are not homicides" he explained.  "I know because the police only come when someone is shot and that mostly happens on the weekends."  Can you walk three blocks in any direction at night from your home?  "Oh, no! your kidding right?  We don't even stop at stop signs anymore, just slow down a little"  Hmm, like my self, my good friend is born and raised and lives in Oakland CA. and wouldn't think of calling any where else home.  When I was a an X-ray student I trained in the ER dept of Highland Hospital, the best trauma hospital in the bay area.  My job was to take X-rays of GSW (gun shot wound) victims, we triaged them by severity.  Those with non life threatening bullets inside their body were left in the hall way for hours until it slowed down enough to get to them.  And I only worked wednesdays.  We moved out of Oakland 4 years ago to Berkeley CA so our daughter can go to a decent public school.  I won't tell you what my wife and I had to pay to get into the city of Berkeley because, well its embarrassing.  It's a much better neighborhood than my friend who lives 10 min away in Oakland but as I sit on my front porch writing this piece while passing out candy to little ninjas and monsters (its Halloween) I have to steer these creatures away from the house directly across the street.  They pass out Crack, or what ever it is they sell all day.  My daughter is in high school now and takes the bus so I make her carry pepper spray, a whistle, brass knuckles and a little string attached to her back pack that makes a loud sound when you pull i.  She used to only carry the brass knuckles until her very best friend was sexually assaulted by a homeless man with a gun while walking to school about 6 months ago, it was around noon on a  tuesday about two blocks from my house.  Didn't even make the local news.  Sorry don't mean to be so blunt.  But if it didn't happen to someone I know I wouldn't even know it happened.  For those who don't know Berkeley has recently become one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. to live in.  Mostly due to the recent rise of home values.  Only just behind San Francisco.  Oh, and where my buddy lives in Oakland, comes in around 5th or 6th.  Any way I've digressed, Oh ya, Isn't moving to the Philippines dangerous?  My answer to you is the same as what I told mi amigo.  I don't know.  I'm an American, I can only tell you what it's like in my hood.  What's it like in yours?

[Dave Hounddriver]

3 hours ago, boyee said:

Isn't moving to the Philippines dangerous?

There is no good answer to that.  I have heard expats say its no worse than anywhere else and the following month had a home invasion robbery.  I have heard of people who say be careful and have lived in the same place for years without any problems whatsoever.  The only answer I would feel comfortable giving is;  This is the Philippines and your experience will be different than mine.  If a person was really concerned about the safety where they live, they would hire a security professional to come and evaluate the home and the neighborhood and give a professional opinion of how safe it is and what could/should be done to increase the safety.  Even then, you pays your money and you takes your chances.  No place is 100% safe.  You are not even safe in the graveyard.  After a time your bones will be taken and tossed out.

[graham59]

I know of only one 'kano' who was shot and killed ( shooter made sure with 5 bullets to the head ) during the past couple of years, here in my otherwise peaceful small provincial town. 

So, that just leaves the other 'kano' in the town.  Me. 

[sonjack2847]

6 hours ago, boyee said:

I have to steer these creatures away from the house directly across the street.  They pass out Crack, or what ever it is they sell all day.  

Does not sound too safe where you live now.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Some feel safe in a gated community but you could be shot dead out the front of Ayala while shopping so the gated stuff is not that helpful. Generally if you are not causing problems or happen to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time then here is pretty much like anywhere unless you buy a cheap house on Jolo Island. Home invasions happen world wide I think but unless you are a flashy expat who likes to show how rich you are then I think your chances of a home invasion are the same as many very big flash houses I see here where Filipinos live.

[fillipino_wannabe]

Not so much the fact that the Philippines is more dangerous (although it definitely is imo), more that if you're white then you're automatically a potential target. People say not to flash your wealth but if you're white then everyone will automatically know that you're rich compared to the average Filipino.

And I dunno about the US but in the UK people don't have to worry about gun shots and crack dealers in broad daylight if they're living in an expensive area lol.

Edited November 1, 2018 by fillipino_wannabe

[Jollygoodfellow]

4 hours ago, fillipino_wannabe said:

but if you're white then everyone will automatically know that you're rich compared to the average Filipino.

You mean assume. 

[bastonjock]

The chances of getting shot or stabbed in the UK are pretty slim if you are white , if your a young black kid ,in London ,its a different matter , so the colour of skin does mattee

Going from living in the UK to the philipines does present an increased risk of harm to your person , you either accept it or don't live I  the Phil's 

I grew up in the knife capital of Europe,  more stabbings per capita than any other city , I've had a few close run ins with guys wanting to cut me up , when I was a teenager I had to get permission to cross into another gang's turf so that I could visit my grandmother safely .

If your going to hang around bars and get drunk with the locals ,then your danger level goes up , if you drive a big 4 x4 you are advertising money , even the philipinos have their 4 x 4,s tinted so that no one can see, who has got the dough 

Use a bit of sense , be respectful to the locals , don't be flashy

 

[Jollygoodfellow]

4 minutes ago, bastonjock said:

If your going to hang around bars and get drunk with the locals ,then your danger level goes up , if you drive a big 4 x4 you are advertising money , even the philipinos have their 4 x 4,s tinted so that no one can see, who has got the dough 

Use a bit of sense , be respectful to the locals , don't be flashy

Pretty much sums it up but personally I dont believe its unsafe as some make out. Yes I even post news here about expats who got killed but when you look at most there is a reason rather than  its your turn. If you really piss of a Filipino expect trouble but if you are Filipino you can expect the same trouble. 

[boyee]

Thanks for all the replies.  If you couldn't tell my story was full of irony.  As a fat, wealthy, red blooded  American, it seems ironic to me that everyone thinks third or second world countries are more dangerous.  Okay, well some are.  But when we live in an area where you can hear gun fire every night and hospitals are full of gun shot victims how can we presume it's more dangerous in other countries.  Clearly there is way more poverty in The Philippines but I don't believe the violence or homicide rate is anywhere close to that of America.  When I visit my wife's family in Manila they tie me up for fear I will walk outside and get kidnaped or mugged because Im a foreigner.  But every time I escape and explore on my own I feel perfectly safe.  Sure the streets look undeveloped and there is visible poverty everywhere but no one stops me, most people smile.  But when they come to California and I take them out, they are clearly nervous and won't leave the car.  I don't know, maybe I haven't seen the real Philippines but I feel safer in the Ph than I do in Oakland.