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

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, boyee said:

I don't know, maybe I haven't seen the real Philippines but I feel safer in the Ph than I do in Oakland.  

Do you realize you have just compared the safety of an entire country to the safety of a suburb in a city, in a state in a country?  To compare apples to apples, I would feel safer in Oakland than in Jolo.

When we compare countries to countries.  Most countries have an area you could live in that has a high safety rating and an opposing area with a low safety rating.  The Philippines is no different.

[Rooster]

21 hours ago, boyee said:

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.  

You'll be fine. Just treat others the way you want to treated. Remember where you are and don't piss anyone off or be an A**Hole.

There is a group of Expats/Foreigners who gather everyday at a resort near where I live. They sit around and drink all day,  complain about the PI on many issues including safety and act as if they know everything about the PI but most have only traveled from the airport to their house.

You must have come to the conclusion it's safe on your own if you bought a farm here. Where is it? 

Edited November 2, 2018 by Rooster

[Rooster]

1 hour ago, boyee said:

 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.  

Kidnapped or mugged?  Likely a tactic to keep you "Under The Saya" in an effort to keep you from meeting other chicks. I could write a book on this type of activity that I've seen over the years.   

 

[Jack Peterson]

18 minutes ago, Rooster said:

I could write a book on this type of activity

Now, my friend that is food for thought, They say that a persons First (1st) Book is usually in the way of an Auto-biography so I sit and wonder and maybe others will too, what have you been up to  

[boyee]

1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

2 hours ago, boyee said:

I don't know, maybe I haven't seen the real Philippines but I feel safer in the Ph than I do in Oakland.  

Do you realize you have just compared the safety of an entire country to the safety of a suburb in a city, in a state in a country?  To compare apples to apples, I would feel safer in Oakland than in Jolo.

Master HoundDriver, again you have sprinkled wisdom on to of my large bowl of generalization.  Thank you for the gentle spanking.  I suppose America and the Uk have extremely safe areas too.  I excluded Canada because well, its Canada.  I don't think they have crime at all.  IDK, too cold?  Anyway I'm sure the slums of Manila near the airport would be a no no for a good looking white guy like me.  

But someone mentioned driving a 4x4 on the other page would be too showy.  Damn that sucks!  I'll need a truck if I'm going to live on a farm, right?  Could I take a sledge hammer and make it look ugly?  I'm actually not joking.  My plan is to keep a very low profile.  plain local clothes, older vehicle, no bars for me but I have been stockpiling all this extra candy and my wife has been collecting discount toys so we can pass out to kids in the local barangy.  She literally has boxes of new toys stock piled.   We would really like to be a member of the local community and spend our time giving cool sh*t to the local kids when we go into town.  But I wonder how this will be perceived.  Will we be known as the generous new members of the town or a rich foreigner who can't help but to rub wealth in the noses of those less fortunate by giving stuff away?

[Jack Peterson]

2 minutes ago, boyee said:

But I wonder how this will be perceived.

 Just be yourself and all will be well 

[Jollygoodfellow]

8 hours ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Just be yourself and all will be well 

I tried that but was told I'm an asshole. 

[Jack Peterson]

1 hour ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

I tried that but was told I'm an a**h*le. 

 

[Clermont]

20 hours ago, boyee said:

We would really like to be a member of the local community and spend our time giving cool sh*t to the local kids when we go into town.  But I wonder how this will be perceived.  Will we be known as the generous new members of the town or a rich foreigner who can't help but to rub wealth in the noses of those less fortunate by giving stuff away?

Personally I think you'll have trouble if you start giving toys and gifts to people. Don't forget material presents they aren't used of getting, Birthdays, Christmas presents, etc, aren't celebrated over there, only by richer PI's, mainly that have lived abroad or relations abroad. My suggestion, sit back for a few weeks and suss out the really needy ones, then give them a little non destructible present along with 20 peso, but draw a line that it is only done on certain occasions. You will get more respect out of your neighbors and the general community and fit in and show them your not flashy nor stingy, just a run of the mill bloke. 

When we go over, we generally buy a pile of plastic toys, $2 for a six pack of little car, planes, little dolls for girls $1, and we have a little niece that still has hers from 5 years ago, a bit bald now, but it was a gift and the only toy she has. I know how you feel, them little brown eyes looking at you tears at my heartstrings too, but if you go about it the right way, not only will you win respect from the general public, you'll fit in a lot better too. 

[sonjack2847]

1 hour ago, Clermont said:

Personally I think you'll have trouble if you start giving toys and gifts to people. Don't forget material presents they aren't used of getting, Birthdays, Christmas presents, etc, aren't celebrated over there, only by richer PI's, mainly that have lived abroad or relations abroad. My suggestion, sit back for a few weeks and suss out the really needy ones, then give them a little non destructible present along with 20 peso, but draw a line that it is only done on certain occasions. You will get more respect out of your neighbors and the general community and fit in and show them your not flashy nor stingy, just a run of the mill bloke. 

When we go over, we generally buy a pile of plastic toys, $2 for a six pack of little car, planes, little dolls for girls $1, and we have a little niece that still has hers from 5 years ago, a bit bald now, but it was a gift and the only toy she has. I know how you feel, them little brown eyes looking at you tears at my heartstrings too, but if you go about it the right way, not only will you win respect from the general public, you'll fit in a lot better too. 

I give school supplies they always need them.