Live in the Philippines

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Philippine Safety – Viewed from a different angle

Expats, Safety / by

You hear a lot from potential tourists, expats and other foreigners about safety when it comes to the Philippines.  People who are coming here for a visit, or considering the Philippines as a retirement destination voice the “safety issue” often.  They fear being murdered.  They fear kidnapping.  They fear getting mugged.  They fear being ripped off financially by “slick” Filipinos who are out to get their money.  What else do they fear?  Well, from the e-mails and comments I hear from foreigners, it seems that many foreigners fear anything that moves here, even the shadows.  As you can imagine, given the fact that I live here in the Philippines, and I have a relatively high Internet profile, I hear these kinds of things each and every day from people who contact me to ask me about whether they will be safe here or not.  Over on my Mindanao Magazine, I have an entire section on Safety concerns.  I have one post in particular that addresses safety for tourists in Mindanao, and that single post has more than 700 comments on it!  So, as you can see, safety is a major concern for many.

The other day, though, I got thinking about safety in the Philippines from a completely different angle than I ever had before.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized something that may well be quite surprising to many readers.  I’ll reveal what that is a bit later in this article.

I have been living in the Philippines for more than 10 years now, as regular readers know well.  Before that, I spent another 10+ years visiting the Philippines on a regular basis.  In all that time, I can recall only a couple of times that I felt a bit unsafe here, and those times did not even feel too serious or life threatening to me.  And, I have been to a lot of places that many people would consider “very dangerous” or even “no-go zones” as many of you know.  About the worst feeling I have had in the past 20 years, as far as safety goes, was for just a few minutes when I was in Tawi Tawi, a group of about 100 Islands in the Sulu Sea off of Mindanao.  I was standing on a pier taking some pictures, and a man came up to me and told me I should leave Tawi Tawi, because I was not welcome there.  Well, Tawi Tawi is reputed to be a terrorist hangout, and this was the only incident I had where I felt a bit unsafe there, and this fellow actually seemed to be a bit mentally unstable to me.  Nothing happened.

Last week, something happened that made me think, though.  It happened here on LiP.  Some of you may have noticed something, most of you probably did not.  In the comments on an article I wrote, which was published last Friday, one fellow started saying some things to me that seemed a bit “off the wall.”  I left his first few comments in place, but he actually went on to try to post about 50 more comments.  The additional comments started out with more “off the wall” type stuff, and got progressively more angry, and actually went on to this fellow making threats of violence against me and my family.  He went on to start sending me messages on Facebook that were violent in nature.  Next, he started posting notes on Feyma’s Facebook Wall (they have been removed) which threatened violence against Feyma, our kids and myself.  This fellow had been a “friend” of mine on Facebook for sometime.  He is a white American, and lives in the USA, if his Facebook information is correct.  I mean he has pictures there of himself and his family.

Feyma and I analyzed this, because we really could not figure out anything that I said to the guy or did to make the fellow angry.  In fact, when the fellow made a comment here on LiP, I only said to him that I did not understand what he was talking about.  I thought that perhaps he had written something incorrectly, and I was hoping he would clarify, so I could understand.  He came back in a way that suggested he was crazy!  As we looked at his many messages that he sent to both Feyma and I, we came to the conclusion that he was upset because he badly wanted to live in the Philippines, but was unable to make his dream come true, because of finances.  I believe he was upset and jealous because I lived here, but he could not.  I feel sorry for him, but it’s not my fault that he is currently unable to live his dream.

Over the past couple of years, I have experienced this kind of thing about 5 or 6 times from readers of my websites.  As I recall, I have gotten threats from here on LiP mostly, but also once or twice on Mindanao Magazine.  In all my years of publishing information on the Internet, I do not recall ever having been threatened by a Filipino, though.  Somehow, the people who go crazy and start posting threats like this have always been foreigners.  Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it?  The foreigners are always worried about “safety issues in the Philippines” but my experience has only been with safety issues from other foreigners.  Hmm.

Well, after the incident last week, Feyma and I talked about it.  While we were not really very worried for our immediate safety, we did come to the conclusion that it is time for us to take our family’s safety into more consideration when it comes to our Internet presence.  In the past, we have been very open about publishing things like where we live and such.  In fact, if you read through enough posts on LiP, I am sure that you could put together enough information that you could probably find my house in Davao very easily.  It would not take a genius to do that.  As regular readers know, Feyma and I will be moving soon to a new location in Davao.  We have decided that it is in our best interest, security wise, that we do not disclose information about the exact location of where our residence will be.  We will be living in Davao, but beyond that, we will not say more.  We will not even post pictures of the outside of our house on the Internet, because that would make it too identifiable.

It’s not Filipinos that I worry about… it’s deranged Foreigners!  Strange, isn’t it?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Well Bob I am afraid of one thing in the Philippines and that is that I will fall in love with the area and never want to come home.

    But seriously posting your information on the internet is never a good idea. I don’t even include my info on my facebook to my friends. If they don’t know where I live then they are not much of a friend. 🙂 I am sorry that you had such a bad experience with this person. I am happy that you are able to live the life you want with your family. You are an inspiration to me and my wife and knowing that it is possible for regular guys like me to be happy and comfortable in the Philippines as well as safe.

    Thank you for all the information that you post here. Like most Americans at first I too was afraid to even visit Gensan but after reading your articles I became more confident in the people around the area and in knowing that there are a few bad people there but then again there are a few bad people everywhere.

    Thank you sir.

    • Hi Darin – For about 17 years now, maybe 18, I have been open about publishing personal details on the net, and it has never caused me a problem. But, my profile is a lot higher now than ever before in the time that I’ve been on the net, so more caution is important. Having a family makes it important.

    • Hello Bob,

      I wrote a few weeks ago and asked about a submitting some articles. I think I just found my topic. I am a police officer and former cyber crimes detective. I think I will submit an article for your review.

      Michael

        • Good advice, but sometimes it’s simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, like having your life threatened and being extorted by very dangerous corrupt cops.

      • Hi Mike

        I also work in the law enforcement field. I don’t like to post too many photos on the internet due to some of the unsavory people i work with. Looking forward to reading your article.

  2. Probably a very smart move Bob, its best to separate business form personal. If they want to meet you meet in familiar places where you can walk away if you have to. Being a landlord I have long ago made myself as invisible as possible, no name in public phone books, every property I own is held in a LLC or trust, a public name search brings up a big zero.. Post Box for mail. Cell phone only. The nut cases you can spot a mile away….its the functional nuts that worry me….seem normal at first but soon the radar starts to ping away! What next..a stalker?

    • My thoughts exactly, brian. Thank you for sharing your strategy. I am thinking that living in the Philippines, it is even easier to make yourself invisible than there in the States.

  3. Bob, strange as it is, I agree with you about the foreigners. I’ve also run into a couple of foreign idiots but have had very few negative encounters with Filipinos. Good luck with your move. May you continue to find peace and happiness in that most beautiful country.

  4. I first came to the Philippines in 1986 just after I was married – I have spent quite a few years here working and also vacationing and cannot think of any time I have felt threatened.At the time of the coup attempt against President Aquino I ran into a group of rebels at the airport but was told to go home very politely.A few days later I was involved in getting some of our colleagues families out of Makati which was held by the rebels but again I never felt in any kind of danger because we arranged a truce with the red cross which was honoured by the rebels.I have never been robbed or held up in spite of being a frequent traveller in remote areas.Filipinos seem to be more afraid of their fellow citizens than we foreigners are – they seem to think that any other province apart from their own is fraught with danger.A major problem seems to be an absolute lack of trust of their fellow citizens in every respect – I dont think I have seen this to the same extent anywhere else.

  5. Bob, I went back and re-read that fellow’s posts to see if I could figure out what set him off and came up with nothing. There is a saying, “It takes all kinds”. That probably described this situation. No doubt you have stumbled across someone who is NOT playing with a full deck – borderline or full blown Schizophrenia issues come to mind.

    Maybe he is “off his meeds”, as you suggested. In any case, looks like he has major issues. Like it or not, your high profile in the Philippines does sort of set you up for a target of envy, jealousy, and pure hate from the less than 1% of fringe society that has no chance of success in this day and age. His sentence structure even suggest an uneducated person but I am not qualified to pass judgement in such matters.

    I’m familiar with “Road Rage” but I was not that aware of “Blog Rage” before. lol

    Keep up the good work and “keep your head down”.

    • Thank you, Rich. As you suggest, I also cannot find anything in our exchange that should have set him off like that. The comments still seen on the blog are very mile compared to some of the stuff he sent later. Like you say, I suspect he is not playing with a full deck.

  6. Hi Bob;
    You had forwarded to me an e-mail from Pita Mike who’s from Texas. We e-mail back and forth until his visit last month. While looking up on Google his location (we both own houses in Dinalupihan Bataan) I found pictures of my house on the Dinalupihan web site, also his house was there listed as being for sale. We got together a few times and I enjoyed meeting him. But we both couldn’t understand why our houses were on that web site. So I understand why you are going to take those precautions in the future. It’s just a wise thing to do.

  7. this is not completely on topic, but is related, I think. There is another site/blog with a name similar to yours: livinginthephilippines.com. On its home page it has the following statement:

    What to Watch Out For, How to be Safe from Scams, Scam by Foreigners in the Philippines

    Other “like sites,” knock off sites, that try to confuse with you with our site, Living in the Philippines, exist only to separate you from your money. I would not bother even mentioning them if they did not use permutations of Living in the Philippines and our good name to solicit visitors, members, to take advantage of them.

    Any comments on what is going on here? Doesn’t seem to be the friendliest relationship to me.

    • Hi Don – I am familiar with the site. I don’t know if he is talking about my site, or some other site. Given the person who owns the other site, he is probably talking about me, though, as he does not like me.

      I will offer only this response to what he says:

      If he is referring to my site, I can assure you that I am not trying to confuse anybody, because I would not want anybody to think that my site is associated with his site in any way. I believe that if anybody looks at the quality of my site compared to his, there would be no chance of any confusion.

      • Hi Bob

        Your right Bob. That other site does not compare to yours. Not even close. Yours has so much more info and is updated alot more. Please you and your family be safe and stay alert. You never know whats out there.

  8. Hi Bob: Excellent idea about not posting the exact address of your new home. But if some crazy person want to harm you, they will find a way. Any way, there are a lot of envious Americans who wants to live like you and Feyma, but for financial reasons can not do it. In my blogs, I indicated only that I live in Northern California. But when I googled my name in the net, it has all the addresses of the various places that we have resided here in the States since 1960. I was surprise of the details one can find in the internet about another person. Have you tried googling yourself? Cheers and Ingat!( Be Careful of your Back)

    • Hi David – You are so right, my friend. Online, you can find information about just about anybody, even if they are careful about not posting it! The Internet never forgets!

  9. A very thought-provoking article, Bob!

    I believe that you should guard your private life more carefully. People seem to become fast friends on the internet – much the same as when travelling – but true friendships take time to develop, as we all know.

    LOL Yes, I know, I am hardly one to speak! Still, I am not in the same position as yourself. I do not have several Facebook invites per day from around the world. When foreigners arrive in Davao they look forward to meeting “Mindanao Bob”, moreso than the more non-descript foreigners, like myself.

    At this point of development, you can’t separate “Mindanao Bob” from Bob Martin, which is a shame, as an on-line persona would be of value. What I would suggest, however, is that you consider sending the relevant e-mails/comments that you have received to the NBI or Immigration. While that seems harsh, as it could result in that individual being placed on a no-entry list, it may be prudent in this case, not only for the security of you and yours, but for other Filipinos & foreigners who may have to deal with this individual in the future.

    • Hi Mike – Indeed, having a strong online persona has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Thankfully for me… the advantages have been great, and the disadvantages only few. I am very thankful for that.

  10. If the person already made a threat of physical violence on the internet to you and your family, right there he already committed a crime, did he not, Bob? If he made it through LiP, which is Philippine-based entity, it would be outside of the jurisdiction of the FBI. But Facebook? Wouldn’t that come under FBI responsibility?

    • Hi John – Actually, LiP is not a Philippine based entity. LiP resides on a server in the USA. My business presence is a USA presence. I only live in the Philippines and operate it remotely from here. Yes, what the person did was a crime, and if I chose to pursue it, he could probably face some problems.

  11. Good idea Bob. I’m sorry you got so bladly flamed. I feel sorry for anyone who gets involved with someone like that. It does make the world feel a little bit scary! Blessings on your move!

    • Thanks, AmericanLola. I would not classify what this guy did as flaming… flaming doesn’t reach the level of threats of physical violence, IMHO. Whatever it would be called, it is wrong, though!

  13. HI BOB

    A good posting mate i will never for ge the first time i was to go over to the phill and the thinks ppl was telling me that would happen to me and that was jst from filipina not my famliy mate and when my sister did know i was going over she would not talk to me for over a week and was saying things like what happens if i was killed there and who will take care off me blar blar but no matter were we are mate safety comes first and have never been out at night over there on my own and always went out with two or 3 ppl and fo rthe 4 time i have spent there and i tis now over a year all up i always feelt safe there but hat dont meen some think wont happen mate have beeen all over australia on my own and i was working up at swan hill last year here where i spent the last all most 4 years working and i was muged in a park there so it happens the best off us mate no matter were we are but it is happening more and more there in the phill with 3 or 4 killed in the last 3 weeks so what do we do about it………

  14. I think this angle is quite interesting and it made me think about something. When I’m in the Philippines I take the busses alone if I need to, I go to Chinatown in Manila, I go to Baclaran, I stroll around Malate – even I’ve been advised against all of theese things, and it’s never been a problem. Okay I do think about safety in the way that I wear plain ordinary clothes and no jewllery. Plus I do not flash money and even if I’m lost I never look like I am lost……so okay in a way I think about safety – but not more then it allows me to walk around and do the things I want to do.

    The fun part though is that when ever I’m adviced from walking specific areas or use the bus – it’s always filippinos who say “It’s to dangerous dont do it”. I even have a filippino best friend (she’s lived in Europe for the past 15 years) who says that she’s very jalous of me because even she grew up there and speaks tagalog fluently she doesnt have the courage to use the busses – and the few times in Mindano when I stayed away from an area because of safety precautions was also because I was TOLD to stay away from that area by filippinos. Useually when this happens I respond with “I belive that there are more good people then there are bad” – and they need to have really good argumentation to make me see things diffrently. I.e. when the bombs went of in Cotabato and Cagayan de Oro 2009 three days before I was planed to go from Oroquieta to CDO – I was convinced to stay away from CDO.

    So in my experience – Filippinos are more concered about safety then kanos – or at least in my circles it is like this.

  15. As a bodyguard in the states for over 25 years, i will be living in Davao fulltime and retired as of Sept 2011. We will definitely have our planned lunch then Bob. Stay safe!!!!

  16. I’ve thought about this issue since I first started reading LiP. You have essentially turned yourself into a celebrity, and your popularity continues to grow. I think your popularity stems in large part from your openness, but that can have a downside.

      • Bob

        What you are is a friend to foreigners who live in the philippines and to those that will be living in the philippines. Thanks so much for all the good info that makes life easier for foreigners who live there and for the transition for foreigners who will be living there. God Bless

  17. Hi Bob,
    I an saddened that you must go incognito as far as sharing your new home with us. I was looking forward to seeing it. But I understand. Your writing style is very personal and friendly, opening up yourself and family to all of us as sort of your extended family. Talking about walking down the street to the swimming pool will be missed. I have been also too up front with my personal details, and I have thought about it before. Due to your gregariousness you have made your site the most friendly, with actual conversations occurring.
    Maybe you can invent a pseudo location to be your internet ‘home’… But that wouldn’t be you, Bob you’re too honest.

    I read the earliest comment from Mr Tim to Feyma and he seemed to be writing in a more structured manner, tho not very friendly. The discourse deteriorated rapidly from there.

    Kind Regards,
    Jade

  18. There are all kinds of ” trolls ” out there in cyberspace so it does not surprise me if someone would troll your sites now and then which is unfortunate. Although the Internet as we have had it in recent years is something to marvel at, we never had to concern ourselves with privacy preservation a few decades ago like we do these days. It is a nuisance having to use a shredder before disposing of bill stubs, paper correspondence etc. I guess it is just a sign of the times !

    As far as I am concerned, just about anything and everything someone does on the internet is traceable to one extent or another so I guess you can get a good idea of where some of the undesireable communication is originating.

    Safe ? Unsafe ? Just this week Americans are being advised to be on their guard in European countries. Philippines and Mindanao are not even mentioned in this new wave of precautions for US Travelers ! I have commented many times I felt safer in Iligan City than I would on the London Underground !

    Safe and Unsafe is all around us wherever we are in the world.

  19. Yes thought provoking and an eye-opener. I’m going to tone down my own (tiny) presence as well.

    Her’s what happens so often when I meet a fellow foreigner. he will launch off on a diatribe about all the things that are wrong with the Philippines … even in public and even with his wife and/or other Filipinos around. As if ‘we” are of the same mind.

    Even worse, many foreigners I meet for the fist time launch off onto their views about American politics … often very bitterly and since President Obama took office, with distinct racial overtones. One of the reasons I like living here is, my cable system doesn’t offer Fox news and so far I have yet to hear Rush Limbaugh’s voice. Thank goodness.

    Most of my fellow foreigners here in the Philippines are good people I believe, but there is a distinct and dangerous “lunatic fringe” who automatically assumes that becuase you are also a white American you are a “member of their club”. It is scary at times.

    In large population center like Manila you sometimes run into other foreigners working elaborate scams. The only time my wife and I were ever ‘taken’ in any significant way was by a fellow Americna who presumed to be a fellow retired US veteran with an elabroately documented sob story … he met up with us right across from the US Embassy I might add.

    No Filipino would ever be able to run a scam on us the way this fellow did, but he was so sincere and such a kindly, older, well-dressed, honest-faced man who knew all the right answers to the military-related questions I (cleverly?) quizzed him with that our heart went out to him. We still laugh at what suckers we were to be taken in by this charlatan.

    (note, it was less than $50 bucks US, so I just chalk it up to tuition for Continuing Education credits in the School of Hard Knocks, my alma mater)

    Online as well, be careful of people involved in investment schemes and such, focusing on fellow foreigners. I’ve been approached a number of times.

    Be cautious is all I can say, reveal little and make friends slowly.

    • Hi Dave – Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I have had a lot of encounters with foreigners here…. mostly good ones, but a few bad too. I’ve met people who were racist against Filipinos (and wrote about it here), I could not figure out why they would be here if they were racist! I’ve met jealous people, I’ve met people who think the Philippines was a terrible place (again, why were they here then?). Thankfully, mostly I have met good people that I enjoyed talking with, though.

      I agree fully, though… a little caution is a good thing.

    • Very interesting, Dave. Since my days in Asia, I have always advised friends/family who were headed to Asia to trust their countrymen least of all. I even had a Canadian fellow in Taiwan become quite upset with me because I intervened when he tried to scam a Swedish friend of mine. For some reason he couldn’t understand why I would put honesty before “national brotherhood”. I suppose we can slip into a false sense of trust when in what seem to be more familar crowds.

      • True that, Mike. One of the earliest experiences I had in a Philippines Yahoo Group was being involved in a discussion involving an American fellow wanting to buy a motorcycle. After many, many exchanges all involving people warning about how Filipino dealers wold cheat the fellow, how Filipinos all treat us like ‘walking ATM’ machines, etc., the prospective motorcycle man traveled a hundred miles or so to buy a ‘good used’ motorcycle from a “trustworthy” fellow American. Rode it home and on the way back it developed a small problem.

        So he took it to a brand name dealer to see about getting it fixed. While at the dealer, having the cheap repair done, my friend found out that the dealer had the exact same model bike, a year newer, on the sales floor brand new for a posted, no-nonsense price … $200 less than he paid his “trustworthy” fellow American.

        He had never even visited that dealer because “everyone knows” that the Filipino always cheats the foreigner. He felt a bit of a fool after paying _his_ School of Hard Knocks tuition that year.

        We all learn …

        • Hi Dave – I remember that story. Either you told me, or perhaps I was on that list at the time it happened. It’s certainly a story to remember!

  20. Hi Bob,

    I am a filipina from the northern philippines called cagayan valley. After staying in hk for many years i would love to explore my own country esp in Mindanao. I’d like to thank you for all the info about the security and safety in Mindanao coz I myself doesnt really have any idea about it… now im very confident to roam around there and see the beauty of Mindanao.

    Take care and more blessings to your family.

    Lyne

      • I would love to come one day…. i have yet to ask someone to guide me over there… i might get lost on my own country haha.. what a shame! * wink… have u ever tried visiting our very own Banaue Rice terraces in Ifugao? I do live nearby, if u ever want to roam around north just call my name and i’ll be there! Ingat po kayo lagi.

      • I would love to come one day…. i have yet to ask someone to guide me over there… i might get lost on my own country haha.. what a shame!

        Have u ever tried visiting our very own Banaue Rice terraces in Ifugao? I do live nearby, if u ever want to roam around north just call my name and i’ll be there to guide you! Ingat po kayo lagi.

  21. Hey Bob,
    The only time I felt a little scared there was a couple of times I was in a taxi at a stop light. Kids would come up to the taxi because the saw a “Kano”. If I didn’t give them money they would get angry and Hit and Kick the taxi. It makes me wonder What if I’m walking the streets and I tell a beggar “no”. Will I be attacked? I just can’t afford to give everyone with their hand out some money.

    • Hi Hudson – In my times here, I have never had a time when I think the beggars were dangerous. Yeah, they have hassled me, but I just kept walking, and they soon turned around and looked for the next possible handout.

    • My very first night in The Philippines and I finally arrive at ” Destination Jollibee ” with some of my Filipino friends. While sitting inside and looking out the windows I saw these children look like they were hanging on the windows. It reminded me of catfish in a fish tank. I asked my friends about this and they told me not to give them any attention when we left the place and never give anything to any street beggars.

      My friends told me to just say ” Wala ” ( my interpertation of the pronounciation is to make it sound like ” Walaaaat ” ) and say it in a stern but not scolding tone of voice. Sure enough when we left the place one of them circled right around me in close proximity and I said ” Wala ” and the kid dissapeared.

      There was another time where I felt I had a parade of them following me ( they did not know I had Filipino friends with me ). I turned around and said ” Wala ” to them and they immediately dissapated.

      A bit of confusion for me with the word ” Wala “. I asked my Filipino friends what the word meant and they told me it meant ” nothing ” . I replied well it must mean something ? we went round and round on that for a few minutes LOL. In the case of the street beggars it means ” No, Nothing for you ! ”

      It works for me.

  22. I moved to the Philippines on the island of Mindanao at age 18, almost a year ago. Am I dead? Bwahhahaha! Heck no. The only times I have felt scared though, is when I’ve had a few run ins with men who are mentally unstable or taxi/jeepney drivers who drive WAY too fast.

    By the way, that foreigner sounds mentally disturbed to me. What I mean is that envy that turns into threats seems like actions of people who are emotionally unstable. Ooooooddddddd behavior!

  23. Hi Bob – I guess the article and associated comments sort of sum up the reasons why I don’t really enjoy living anywhere else than the Philippines.

    We’ll be “back home” in a week or two, and I can hardly wait. Too many Kanos here for my liking!
    😆

  24. I think you are wise Bob. I have no intention of ever disclosing online where I live, or any other details that would let people identify me unless by some extraordinary chance they recognise me from my picture (which is real, but deliberately not too revealing). There are hidden blessings in having no telephone directories here :).

    The true dangers are more likely to come from people who never give you a reason to worry about them IMHO, than from an obviously deranged character who posts threats and abuse in public.

    • Hi Ken – That’s another problem… anywhere I go, a lot of people recognize me and come up to talk to me! Actually, I don’t consider it a problem, I enjoy meeting people. But, if it ever came down to a safety issue, being so recognizable could cause problems.

  25. Maayong Buntag Bob
    My asawa and I have been the victims of some jealous people trying to cause trouble for us. Personally I do not understand jealousy since if these people would but there energy into bettering there lives instead of the jealous rants they would be much better off. The jealous people will never be happy since there will always be some one who has more than they do.

    • Hi Larry – I feel exactly the same way! I work very hard, and I have worked hard for a long time to build what I have. Others can do it too, but they have to get up off their tail end and do it! Jealousy is really a bad thing.

    • Larry

      Totally agree. I planned out my retirement, so financially i’ll be able to retire in the philippines. You just have to work hard and plan and it can come true. But there are some people, who just love to be miserable

  26. bob lot of times the foreimger either living there or visiting do it to them selves dont be an ugly forienger blend in adjust to local ways of things being done watch your surroundings and try to keep risks to a minimum

  27. Hi Bob, Actually I moved to the Philippines to be safer. I live in Saginaw Michigan, Offical the MOST DANGEROUS city in the nation. Also Detroit and Flint Michigan are in the top ten. So now I am safe here in Legaspi. Thank God I left the U.S..

    Bill

    • Bill I will join you in a few years if i can stay safe as what you say about Saginaw is very true i hear gun shots most days and sometimes in daylight too my Asawa thought i should be worried for my safety when we first met in Manila and Surigao but the first days i was in the Philippines i can tell her that i feel to much safer in the Philippines than anywhere in Saginaw at least i can walk the streets or set down in front of my home of which you are taking your own life in your own hands if you try any of these things

  28. ” It’s not Filipinos that I worry about… it’s deranged Foreigners! Strange, isn’t it? ”

    Agreed ! I take more precautions with my security than the average person here but I was attacked by a drunk Canadian national in the Eagles Bar at the Marco Polo. Hahahaha

    At the end of the day this is no problem, I would have been much more concerned if it had been a Filipino …

    Scott

  29. Bob, while I don’t have as large of an online profile as you do, I also have been very open about my identity, location, and personal details. I appreciate your willingness to share, but I am seeing that unfortunately you are right – it’s best to limit specific details just to ensure the the one bad apple doesn’t endanger your family.

    Now I’m kicking myself because just yesterday I posted a facebook update with a link to the building in Fort Bonifacio that I’ll be living in for the next year . I suppose I could take it down, but anybody who wanted to find it again probably could. That being said, it’s a huge high rise condo development, and I didn’t specify the unit number. So at least there’s that.

    I need to give a lot more thought to how I can be open and authentic while at the same time protecting my family’s privacy and safety.

    Over the weekend my six year old daughter asked me to set up a facebook account. I didn’t really like the idea, but decided that if she really wanted it I would allow it as long as I fully anonymized it. I used http://fakenamegenerator.com to build a fake name, address and age, set up a yahoo mail account under the fake name, then registered on facebook. I used a picture of some kittens for her photo. As long as she doesn’t add pictures or location specifics it should hopefully be reasonably secure for her.

    I suspect that at the end of the day, it’s like thieves and locks. Any lock can be picked or compromised given the right tools and enough effort. But it’s not that hard to raise the level of effort required enough to discourage all but the most determined threats.

    Plenty of food for thought here Bob. Thanks for sharing!

    • Hi Mike – I have been quite open for years now, and never had a real problem. But, as my online profile grows… I suppose I have to tighten up a bit. I don’t really like it, but feel it is necessary. I never heard of that fake name generator! Ha ha… they have everything these days!

  31. Family safety comes first. My elder sister keeps reminding me and my bro. not to be open book online specially on FB.

    Hope your family are fine . God bless your family.

  33. Bob, Great article, sorry to hear about the man who threatened you and your family. You made the right decision about not disclosing the location of your new residence as a precaution. The particular individual, like you said, was highly jealous. The potential for him to carry out purposeful violence seems very low, but you did the right thing taking it seriously for your family’s safety.

    I have lived in the Philippines most of my life and have never been threatened by aggressive individuals. Historically those who pose a serious threat normally act calm, polite and composed, carrying out their threats with careful planning. Best advice; keep a low public profile and try not insult anyone.

    My background; PhD graduate security administration, certified in violence risk and threat assessment, certified protection specialist, author of corporate executive protection: a manual for inspiring corporate bodyguards (2008 ISBN: 978-1-4251-3592-8) and director of international corporate executive protection – not to boast or publicize, just wanted to let you know where I’m coming from.

    I plan to use your consulting services in the future as well as ordering your Mindanao Security Assessment. I have a client going to Zamboanga who wants to go to Sandakan for sightseeing by fast craft boat (been to other parts of Mindanao, but never to Zamboanga). Thank you, Bob.

    Best Regards,
    Doc

    • Thank you, Doc. I appreciate your thoughts. I agree… it’s mostly just a threat, the chances he will act it out are slim. But, you still have to take precautions.

  35. In my experience, the “ugly” ones don’t have much face-to-face contact with other kanos.

    If I know who your friends are, I’ll know, all I need to know, about you.

  36. Hi Bob,

    Been living in Davao for just on 14 months and can say in that time I’ve never had a problem with a Filipino or Filipina however I have had what I would call two serious encounters with Expats. The first tried character assignation through Yahoo Groups and the second whom I trusted as a friend used text to try to destroy my relationship. Both failed but have to add they left a nasty after taste. Can’t say I understand why. I just accept that some among us are malcontents with not a lot to do. Idle hands and minds and maybe not to bright as well. Best to avoid them if one can.

    • Hi Leon – Your experience sounds pretty similar to mine. I don’t know why, but there is a lot of jealousy among the expat community here. People will be your best friend to your face, but behind your back… watch out!

  38. That’s an interesting scenario. I think you have to put it in perspective certainly, in that by far the vast majority of your interactions with people on this site is with foreigners, and therefore that is where you could expect to have the vast majority of er…disagreements. But yes, this guy appears, even from the limited comments I noticed, to be a couple of slices short of a loaf in his writings…who knows what sets people off?

    You are doing the right thing though, in considering how to limit the risk of face to face exposure with someone who has taken some kind of offence at a simple comment, perhaps, as you say, because of some kind of jealousy or something. To that guy, I’d have to say…hey, take a chill pill Man…switch it off. Not everyone can agree with you all the time. I know a lot of guys I consider to be a pain in the neck, so guess what…I leave em alone and don’t watch their TV programmes or read their websites anymore. So why are you still reading this?

    • Hi Jim – Indeed, no two people agree all the time… and in this case, I didn’t even disagree with the fellow, only asked him to clarify his comment because I did not understand it. I think he definitely needed to chill out a bit! Ha ha… Oh well….

  39. @ mike. true dat! many of them are going to the PR because if they tried any of that crap back home they’d end up in jail. sad that they prey on the locals. arrggg! makes my blood boil.

  40. Hi bob thats probably a good idea about the new residence ,it is a shame that it has come to that but your families safety and security is paramount (lot of nuttas out there) we have a silent phone i dont partake of face book never leave my payslips lying around at work as they have my home adress on it ,only close friends have access to our home phone maybe i am cocooning myself i like to think of it as security ,i hope that if and when i get to come back i can catch up with you and have a coffee ,this fellow who cant make his dream come true of living in the phillipines ,well we all have dreams of that but 90% of us wont make it idream about it look on sites at housing ok we have bought land but i dont know if i will ever get to build a house on it and if i cant why would i blame someone else for it it is not there fault all i know is that i have been there twice am married to a lovely woman who wants the same as i do and cant wait to get back there it has been two years already maybe it will be another two who knows ,if we win the lotto i will be there tommorow, jee this fellow wants to understand that we all dream of things we would like or love to do most of it wont happen but that is life some say it sucks i dont i just accept it
    chris

    • Hi Chris – You sure are right that there are plenty of nuts out there these days! You gotta be on the lookout for them, without a doubt! Good luck in following your dream!

  41. true the company one keeps says a lot of ones character but not the total picture i biult my house in my wife island because we are all inlaws and outlaws there jokeing on the outlaw part but i have 1000 peso in my pocket and im the second riches guy there but i put on a large front porch and now that the towns social hull one signif the gate open all welcome but mind your manners to date every one has

  42. Hi Bob, Sorry about that unpleasantness for you and Feyma. I think that it’s a good idea to keep some details about you and your family private, and take on-line steps to do so. Part of your higher profile is because your job requires it to a point. We all can see how hard you and Feyma work, and everything that your business earns must come from a lot of hard work, so jealosy should not be an issue. Unfortunately, there are all kinds of people out there I guess, and tough times can also stress and distort even more, people that might have mental problems and imbalances.
    For myself, I’m kind of a private person anyway, and don’t get into sites like Facebook. Keeping a lower profile is a good thing for expats I think, and it gives a person time to meet or choose friends and aquaintances at a slower, safer pace. Be safe, Bob.

  43. Hi Bob – I was sorry to read about the recent online threats made to you and Feyma and family. Although I was shocked when I read your post I was not surprised that it had happened. I have been reading and participating in your forums since 2003/04 and you have always tried to give sound advice regarding living in the Philippines and associate information without being bombastic or antagonistic in any shape or form.
    The reason I said earlier that I was not surprised that it had happened was over the last few years in particular I have noticed that certain web users are more and more venting their spleen for what would appear no reason at all. Maybe the internet is just providing them with a platform that otherwise they would not have in the world they live in. Back in the real world they are small fish in a big pond but online they become big fish in a small pond or so they think. Some of these type people offer advice to group or forum members with a threat that if you don’t heed their advice they will be all over the offender like a rash or worse.
    The irony is that if it can happen to you Bob it could happen to any of us who frequent your site as we all leave ourselves open to attack by being here or indeed any site we visit..
    I honestly think that the ISP’s should do more to protect their users by prosecuting people who openly make threats to life or limb online. If this happens decent people will not have to fear how they live their lives and once again enjoy the online company of like minded genuine people.
    Kind regards.
    Jim.

    • I can agree with your points Jim, It saddens me that as a commentary, I think that in America at least, in some aspects lately, people seem to have become more comfortable in being more mean, angry, agressive and toxic. Probably some of it will be explained by some as a backlash to the economy and some to the many stresses that are in the culture itself. Another aspect is that “meanness” and one-upmanship seems to be thought of as fashionable and acceptable with many people. Sort of a “dog eat dog” mentality that is considered powerful and approved behavior. I’m not considering it the opposite of being “politically correct” –that’s another unnatural behavior that I find troubling too. This kind of “mean” behavior, seems to want to trump any sense of gentility or kindness as being looked upon in a person as being weak or out-of-touch.

      Now you look at how it manifests itself on the internet–some people can take that mentality and go “hog wild”, spewing angry nasty things to others in an almost orgasmic rant, that they don’t seem to feel bad about later, and feel justified in doing. A milder form, are the writers that choose to “dis” everybody and everything on-line, just for the fun of it. Now add extra mental problems to the mix, and you’ve got even bigger problems…

      Strange world we’ve become. I guess that in light of this, if that type of toxic behavior isn’t one that you’ve chosen to adopt, you can only be cautious, and when interracting with others , choose to conduct yourself in an attitude that is more authentic or comfortable for yourself, and hope for the best. It’s a big world out there and full of all kinds of people… It’s a sign of the times I guess.

    • Hi Jim – I try to keep a level head when interacting with people on my sites and elsewhere on the net. Of course, all of us get a little irritated from time to time, but I try to minimize that in order to keep things peaceful on my sites! For the most part, I think that helps keep the rest of the participants cool too, but from time to time one goes stray, I guess.

      Thanks for your comment, Jim.

  45. At “any random time”, there’s a very possible HIGH RISK for foreigners.

    When civil war arise in Phils…The 1st will be affected are the foreigners …Hope and pray that it will not happen….

    The dangerous place to live and stay is SOUTH-WESTERN PART….Foreigners will enjoy living a beautiful life in Philippines but at a random time you’ll never know how safe are you…

    The latest incidents were in PAGADIAN and ZAMBOANGA….

  46. hi bob,

    if these ugly foreigners can do nasty thing to you, i wonder, what they are like back home? a lot worst i guess???

    • Hi Dans – It makes a person wonder, that’s for sure! I bet, though, most of these people are quiet, peaceful folks, but when they get on the net… all bets are off!

  48. Oh good, I’m innocent.

    You know what, from what I’ve read on this site, I pretty much figured out where you live, an idea of your daily schedule, and your surrounding neighbors.

    So yeah, sounds like a good idea.

    On the other hand, the info you’ve shared has given a valuable perspective on living in Pinas. I’m Pinoy & even I’ve learned a few things. So, hats off to you too.

    • Hi macky – Ha ha.. yep, you are innocent – this time! 😆

      I agree, I have to find the right balance of personal safety, and providing enough information to show how life really is for a foreigner here in the Philippines.

  49. Good article Bob. I fear only one thing in the Philippines and that is Deng Fever. I would hate to experience it. Your comments about your house are also sensible. We have a mutual friend that is building a home and he has received negative email because of it It has also been written by many and experienced by most expats that expats tend to ignore each other. I wonder if there is a concern about safety among strangers? Ron

  50. I disagree, from my worm’s eye view in Cagayan de Oro. Except, possibly, for “high profile” foreigners. I’m part of the neighborhood. My children’s friends are Christian and Muslim neighbors.

    Many of my ex-pat friends have the same relationship with their neighbors. Occassionally, I sense resentment, but a smile and a friendly greeting soon overcomes that.

    • Hi Mike – I also have had good relations with all of my neighbors over the years.. except one that lives behind me now… overall, though, I find it easy to get along with Filipinos.

  51. Bob
    I can understand your concern for the safety of your wife and family but I think there are alot of little twitts sitting at there computers posing as a bad ass and making lame threats as they hide behind computer screens.
    Im not in your shoes but I wouldnt loose any sleep over it.

    • Hi Neal – Like you said… I’m not losing any sleep! But, it did make me think about how to be better prepared for something like this.

      Take care.

  52. Hi Bob,
    Good move to keep a lower personal profile.
    There are a lot of people out there hurting bad from this recession,a few will vent their anger at anyone.

    Regarding general safety in the Phils,no where in the world is 100% safe,we have to keep our wits about us wherever we are,so we don’t wind up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
    regards,Chas.

    • Good morning, Chas! Good to hear from you. You sure are right that a lot of people are in real bad shape because of the recession that is still lingering in a lot of areas of the world. It’s always a good idea to keep your wits about you and remember that people, when hurting bad enough, will resort to a lot of things that could hurt you.

  53. Hi Bob,

    If that is your real name! I have been following your site for quite some time and have always enjoyed it. I feel like your site has prepared my attitude for living here. I used to enjoy spirited political debates on another site. The host of the website decided to block me and then started an email campaign with the other readers of the site. After I realized how irrational that some people can be I decided it is safer to keep a lower profile. I removed my photo album at that time because I felt it was a wake up call. I would not concern myself over internet threats. If you remember I was threatened and called pencil neck by an individual who never showed a picture of himself. It is funny how macho someone becomes hidden behind a keyboard.

    Tomm
    * new spelling to thwart cyber attacks heh heh

    • Hi Tom – That’s a good trick, the new spelling on your name! Ha ha… good way to throw a monkey wrench at those internet stalkers! 😉

      Yeah, I also had my days of spirited debate on all kids of issues. I am glad that I am long since past those days, though, because I enjoy talking calmly with friends (old and new) in a forum like this one instead.

      Take care Tomm (I slipped in that new spelling for you!).

  54. Hi Bob,

    I can’t figure out who you’re referring to – the white kano. But I think you’ve got all good suggestions. I’ve been an internet savvy since 1995 (long time) but early on I separated my personal from the professional, emails, and limited personal info. I turned off my facebook account (although one can’t delete it), a couple years back. I felt vulnerable. If this dude is an American citizen, and you know who it is, at least his IP address, can’t you report it to American authorities for harrassment? (We have a hotline with the RCMP for this type of online crimes.)

    As for safety in the country, knock on wood, haven’t had any near encounters, just the regular idiots who I just ignore. Actually, it’s nice for foreigners to think it’s not safe in the country to keep out the idiots from coming.

    Alex

    • Hi AlexB – I’ve been active on the Internet a few years longer than you, but we’ve both been at it a long time, it seems.

      Yeah, I could probably get the guy into some trouble with the info that I have, but I will let it pass for now and see what happens with him. I suspect he has gone away and I won’t hear from him again.

  55. Hang in there Bob , some mighty weird people out there and their are not Filipinos … Phil R.

  56. When I was the Charcoal Man I’d drive out to the ‘mountains’ of Davao del Norte for supplies by myself in a light truck,rotten tracks,splashing across rivers,legging it through far off plantations,never had any problems.

    What’s a flame ?

    • Hi Gary – Nice to hear from you, it’s been a while. Like you, I’ve never had any real problems even in the far flung areas of Mindanao.

      A flame is just basically attacking people on the site.

  57. Bob,
    If you still lived in America (don’t throw up, just go with me on this thought …) and your next door neighbor seriously threatened you, even on line, chances are you would report that to the police or other enforcement authorities. Have you thought about taking this to the next level and gathering up all this fellow’s posts and forwarding them to the police or some other judicial authorities in the fellow’s home town or state? You may be in the Philippines but you are still an American Citizen.

    Just a thought… being a non-confrontational sort of person myself, I probably would just let the whole matter die down and hope that his attention and rage gets refocused elsewhere.

    • Rich321,
      I’ve learned this lesson a couple of times. First in NYC never make eye contact with a street person, it engages them to focus on you. Second in San Francisco, took a streetscape photo containing a couple of street people, one demanded $20 for the privilege. I deleted the photo in front of him… scary. I know this does not have anything to do with internet harassment, but the mechanics are the same.
      Jade

  58. Don’t you remember a year or two ago Bob, I told you that i avoid foreigners here unless they come highly recomended …. now you know why … Not that i experienced it personally, but ive seen it so many times …. Ingat my friend … i’m not too far away if you ever need assistance.

  59. Hi Alfie – Thank you, my friend. I’ve actually rarely socialize with foreigners here. I have a few foreigner friends, but I find that most foreigners spend most of their time complaining about the Philippines, and I prefer to avoid that. Amping permi, akong amigo.

  60. I guess its because most of them fail to learn that ‘when in Rome’ hahahahaha … Where are you now? You want a coffee? I’m down at San Pedro

  61. Would love to do it, Alfie.. but I have a few jobs that are approaching deadline, and can’t get out of the office today. Another time, though!

  64. I lived in the philippines about 1 year, the most annoying thing for me is the constant rumor’s that get made up about foringers 😛 true or not true these people love to chit chat, i guess its a cheap form of entertainment lol. only security issue i ever had was an elderly rich gentlemen was not happy when i moved in to an apartment in his area, because to many women got interested in me. he started rumors that i was a home wrecker, and shabu dealer, and then at the end that i like underage girls, he try 3 diffrent times to have the counsel evict me from the barangay. i was very scared about this so i did infact move, but made a poor choice moving in with a half japanese half filipino women who had been divorced and had 3 children, she was rich and honestly after getting to know ber better a bit desperate and crazy for male companionship lol. i lived in fear for about 3 weeks there.

  65. hehe thanks bob, it was interesting and a real eye opening experiance, she made threats that if i left her she would call the police and claim rape, and it scared me in to staying with her longer, but after more of her BS i said ok call them, goodbye… then she said she would have me kill so again i stayed with her, but i did finaly leave her, took a trike to the buss station, then a buss out of Dau, got off the buss then took a trike back to Dau to an apartment i had rented in secret, took her only 3 days and 5000 peso to find me. she was obessed, however in the long run nothing came of it, most filipino are very easy to get along with, if you show them respect they will show you respect. your best defense in the philippines is 1 don’t talk about your asset’s if you have to talk about it to get a girl trust me she is not worth getting, #2 show respect to filipino even if they are not fully being polite, make good friends with the people in your area ( the best idea ) if people like you, they will look out for you. and a guard dog for your house is always nice 🙂

  66. I am moving there, best guess 9 to 10 month’s any suggestion’s for a nice place with a decent night life, but not to wild like AC. i had joined Cherry blossom and seems alot of single women are in Mindanao area, but not really sure how that area is, i spent 5 months in pampanga, 3 months in cainta rizal, and 3 months in batangas.

    • Hi Jason – I am not really into the night life… I just stay home and enjoy my family every night. So, I am not a good person to ask when it comes to night life type questions. Perhaps somebody else will chime in with a suggestion.

      • Hi Jason and Bob,
        When I first net my wife Daisy in 2001 we used to go to Papa John’s in Singapore… world music. We loved dancing together there. We have tried to find a place in Calamba, Laguna, where we live now to remember our happy experience there, but to no avail, hard rock teenage bands, ugh, not to our taste. Manila has good venues but too far away and too much hassle for the travel.
        Jade

  67. Hi Bob,

    Until now, your life has been pretty much an open book, but now I am happy you are taking steps to protect yourself, your family, your privacy, and your reputation from potentially mentally ill people who look to do harm to you or to others, deserved or not!

    I have recently seen some websites where the owners, both living in or formerly living in the Philippines, are tossing back and forth some serious accusations about the other. The threats and accusations are downright scary. This is something we should all do our best to avoid like the plague, but this mentally ill person you told us about seeks this out!

    If you like, please email me what you know about this guy and maybe I can assist you with some investigating.

    Last thought: Maybe you should call yourself Don. As in Don Corleone!

    Be safe and be well.

    • You know, Mike… unfortunately, there is a lot of rivalry, jealousy, competition and such among expats here. I never understood why. I don’t get involved in it, and so far, I have been left out of the real public battles, thankfully. I hope it stays that way. For now, I really don’t want to investigate the guy, or take it any further, unless he decides to start up again, but thanks for your offer.

  68. Bob, as long as your family loves you and you know you are in the right with things. Do as i do and dont care what anybody thinks of you and your businesses you have. Frankly i was and am glad to have moved to the Phil. As an American, this is one of the reasons i moved away was to get away from Americans and foreigners. Other than commenting on your site, this is the extent i get involved. A bit jaded and cynical but i dont care!! I love to hang out with my filipino brothers in the talisay and organize basketball leagues for the kids and adults that play in town. I have even encountered an “American in Davao” that has been full of lies in blogs and personal info that has been shared. My Trust is earned over time not just given!!!!

    • Hi Anthony – Thank you for your kind comment. I agree with you, what is important is your family. Unfortunately, there are a lot of lies on the Internet, some from other expats, as you experienced. It’s always best to let trust build over time, as you suggest.

  69. Hi Bob,
    You are right to conceal some of your info for safety reasons. I read that fellows posts and just didn’t get where he was coming from. If you look at my Facebook page you’ll see a lot of information but not very specific about where I am or what I’m doing. I have more specific information about the Philippines than I do my home in the US, lol. Most photos and stuff I’ll publish well after the actual event. Of course if someone really wants to find me all they have to do is Google me or check the phone book. I’ve only had one or two instances in the Philippines that caused me any concern. I had a Filipino at the airport in Manila want me to hire his driver, all the while acting as if he was my best friend. I politely declined. I had a Filipino gentleman giving me a hard stare in a small town when the nobya and I were waiting for a ferry. She noticed him not me. It was slightly unsettling but I gave him a little nod and went about my business. In a hotel restaurant in Cebu we were seated next to an Expat and his family. It seemed that gentleman went out of his way to not even acknowledge our presence; odd character. I had a German fellow walk up to me in Manila and start a conversation in German. He was surprised to find out I was an American. The most serious incident actually took place while I was in the states. Seems one of my future inlaw’s neighbors had a few too many and confronted my nobya’s father about letting his daughter marry a Kano. I’d like to meet the gentleman and have a SMB with him to try and smooth things over but haven’t had the opportunity yet. Well I’ve rambled on too much I think. Bottom line is you have to do what you have to do to keep your family safe. I hope the move goes smoothly for all concerned.

  70. Hello Bob. Here is my situation. i have a very close relationship with a lady in Pagdia. i actually saved her life when she got very ill over there and was bleeding very badly. Even te hospita where she was working as a nurse did refuse to help. We actually plan getting married as soon as a get there. I plan on staying in Pagadian for some time then fly back together to the US, so that she can work on her RN certificates to be able to work in the US if she decides to do so. My Pension is at lease double what it takes to live together till we go back to the US. i also worry about safety. She at the last conversation told me it be better if i would not live in Pagadian. My question again is safety, should i stay away from Pagadian or should i go there to stay for a few months. We want to start a businees so that her mom can suport herself when she goes to the US. Please answer me direct by Email if you can i appreciate it very much and thankyou in advance for doing so. By the way i am living in henerson Nevada. My E-mail [email protected]
    A very short answer will
    Regards from John Sander

    • Hello John – I do not send answers via e-mail, because if I take the time to write an answer, I want all of my readers to have the opportunity to learn from the response if it is something that they have also been wondering. So, sorry, I will answer here on the blog where you asked the question.

      I personally would not have safety concerns with living in Pagadian City. I have been there, never had a problem. I know a number of foreigners who live in and around Pagadian, and none of them have had safety issues that I am aware of.

      Good luck to you.

  71. Bob, John and Paul does this sound familiar? Do you pro-Philippines expats think you can argue against these facts? Should i leave and not complain if i don’t want to be victimized? This is a copied and pasted link from some random blog

    >> There is no fair JUSTICE for foreigners
    >> who are victims of criminals in the Philippines.

    >> Foreigners are treated as willing suckers,
    >> to be fleeced by the so-called justice system
    >> of the Philippines.

    >> A victim of a serious criminal accident,
    >> first gets taken to the cleaners by the hospital,
    >> for medical costs, which the victim, not the state has to pay!

    >> If the victims want a medico-legal report with which to
    >> prosecute the criminal, then the hospital holds up the victim
    >> for a significant extortionate fee!

    >> To have the lazy police off their butts, to charge and arrest
    >> the criminals,the VICTIM must pay a Court Fee just to lay the charges!

    >> Then the Fiscal/Prosecutor will do everything possible, to try and
    >> delay processing of the charges, in the hope that the foreigner will
    >> either get fed up, or even leave the country so that their favored
    >> criminals will continue to operate scot-free!

    >> If the foreigner persists in the prosecution, even though there is a
    >> Presidential Decree signed by President Marcos in 1980, ordering that
    >> foreigners who are victims of crime are to receive immediate
    >> and effective treatment by the judicial system,with
    >> satisfactory resolution WITHIN 72 HOURS, in order to
    >> protect the international reputation of the Philippines as a
    >> favored international tourist destination, this is ignored!

    >> If the foreigner stays to prosecute, if lucky, the first
    >> court date for arraignment will be 4-6 months after the crime.

    >> Then the judge is likely to order a compulsory meeting at a
    >> Mediator, who like the rest of the system, favors his local criminal
    >> because he thinks that the poor foreigner victim is rich and can afford
    >> losing his money!

    >> For example, a serious injury case which in North America
    >> would result in charges of attempted motor manslaughter
    >> in the Philippines gets charges as Reckless Imprudence Causing Injuries.

    >> In civilised countries, damages would be in the range of $250,000,
    >> usually settled out of court. In Philippines, the mediator
    >> tells the foreigner to accept 24,000 Pesos, approximately
    >> US$450, when the already paid medical bills are already almost double
    >> this!

    >> Not included are the huge payments paid for extensive travel and repeated
    >> trips, court costs, and do not forget 6 months of pain and suffering!

    >> This is but a simple case of admitted criminality.

    >> TOURISTS, AND POTENTIAL INVESTORS – AVOID THE PHILIPPINES,
    >> IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE.

    >> Look to safer countries in the area, such as Malaysia, Singapore,
    >> Australia and Guam.

    Philippines � Anti-Tourist?

    Overseas tourists are avoiding the Philippines by the hundreds of thousands, and following are a few reasons why.

    Foreigners are particularly concerned about the safety of themselves and their families.

    When media here, and overseas, carry so many news stories about foreigners being attacked, robbed, and even murdered, they decide to spend their money in safer countries.

    What is worse, authorities in the Philippines seem to have an attitude when asked to prosecute criminals involved. Officials in LTRFB, LTO and even police and prosecutors, all seem to feel that when a �putih� files a complaint, that he is a rich putih so why bother since he will be gone from the Philippines shortly.

    Contrast this with the reactions to similar criminal acts in safe tourism places such as Singapore or Malaysia !

    Why should foreigners be forced to hire expensive lawyers to get justice, when it is the legal duty of overpaid government officials?

    Is it that the Department of Tourism Directors do not want tourists to come, and hopefully enjoy, a safe visit to the Philippines?

    Perhaps now it is time for this Department to liaise with other government agencies, to ensure that overseas victims of crimes get �SWIFT JUSTICE�as prescribed by law, with satisfactory resolution within 72 hours, rather than the lackadaisical treatment given to locals?

    Otherwise, the Philippines will lose even more tourists, as well as overseas investors with the billions of pesos, to safer destinations.

    Media around the world now carry extensive coverage from the Philippines, to satisfy the many hundreds of thousands of overseas Filipino workers. These news stories are also read and viewed by potential tourists and investors.

    How much longer will it take, for the Government of the Philippines to realize that the declining number of tourists and investors, is caused by lack of co-ordination among agencies and lack of swift action when crimes against foreigners are filed?

    More murders, rapes, attempted killings, robberies?

    By the way, why are traffic officers and police not prosecuting jeepneys driving at night with no working headlights or taillights? No wonder so many accidents involving jeepneys.
    An angry putih, fed up being a victim here.

    • To be honest, if you dislike the Philippines so much, why not move somewhere where you will be happier?

  72. That isn’t my post but the opinion of that particular blogger but i have heard of instances as such. Does it not bother you that a kano like yourself will not get equal treatment from the law enforcers? Does it not bother you that somebody drunk behind the wheel could ram into your parked car and it’s your fault because guess what, you’re the foreigner? Does it not bother you that you can be robbed or get into a dispute with a Filipino tomorrow and the PNP will take their side because you are the kano? You’ve had a good run Bob but your luck is sure to run out some day and god help you because nobody Filipino will. You have even mentioned yourself that you have encountered Filipinos that think you deserve whatever harsh treatment you get because you are a foreigner and not one of them. For the record i am not residing in the Philippines now but way to divert facts with the same old “if you don’t like it, then leave” rhetoric. I am not complaining but stating facts and it is a debate that needs to be had about the treatment of foreigners. The blacks did not recieve equality by sitting around and diverting the issues as you are. But perhaps you enjoy been treated as a second class citizen in that country. And yes i guess i am one of those losers that sits in his compound with fellow expats drinking piss and bitching and moaning about the place as your group of expats seem to think we do

    • Jonno, I have lived in the Philippines for more than 12 years and have never experienced the things you describe, so those things do not bother me. Why do they not bother me? Because I have not found those things to be true. If you are experiencing such things, move to some other place where you are happier. If you are not experiencing such things, then why worry about such things which you have not found to be true?

      Jonno, it sounds like you need to loosen up and enjoy life a little more. Good luck to you.

    • When I’ve had problems with bad people, I reported to the local police, and they were very co-operative, AND helpful. Probably a lot depends on how a foreigner relates to Filipinos. I figure I get back what I put out. I invite them, if they’ve helped me, for beer and sandwiches, and we talk like normal folk. They don’t like bad guys and will help a foreigner just as they would a Filipino. That’s been my experience. But yes, tee certain people off, and they WILL become vindictive. So I try to be careful now in case I run into somebody with a hot temper. So, it goes situation by situation. Difficult to generalize.

  74. Jonno: leave me out of your accusations and don’t put words in my mouth, jackass. How big if an idiot does one have to be who stays in a place where they are not happy?

    • Amazing, don’t you think, John? Why would somebody sit around and moan about living in a place they hate so much? Instead, why not just move somewhere where you would be happier?

  75. i agree with your point of view. most of the foreigners that get scammed get scammed by other foreigners. and same goes with threats and fistfights. the reason why 85 % of the people i hang out with are pinoy or japanese or chinoy.

  76. Yea, weirdly I had several similiar expereinces on my youtube channel, lthough it seems there was at least one Filipino too who went crazy but many more foreigners who follow videos and articles on Philippines seem to be either deranged, seriously aggresive or have some sort of issue, enough for them to launch tirades and personal threats against me several times…I also live in the countryside, easy to trace as I run a resto and inn,so these threats do worry me a lot…and I have even considered to let my gf buy a gun…and we live here in Mindanao,yet we fear the internet foreign trolls…weird…

  77. Hi Bob, you are wise to not reveal the exact location of your new residence. I used to be a P.I. before I retired but I was not really in the field of locating persons. However on my first trip to Cebu to surprise a lady I had met online I managed to locate her home with virtually no knowledge of any areas out of Cebu. She was astounded that I was able to visit her home and speak with her mother as she had gone to great pains not to give me any info that could lead me there. Lucky I did go as she was actually in Boracay on holiday with another boyfriend. Its not hard to locate people here you only need to ask the right people and they will tell you what direction and maybe more details of where you are looking for. If you need any tips on keeping out of sight feel free to ask. Regards, Norm

  79. Hi Bob it is a good choice. I am a retired Police Officer and 20 yr vet of the Military. I too wonder as well about Security here for my Filipino Family. But here in North Cebu in the province where I live for the past 3 years and never felt unsafe. Plus I never go looking for trouble. I am friendly to everyone and active in the community with the kids in the Barangay. I know my Filipino friends here would protect me at all costs as they know I am a good person and law abiding citizen as I recently got my Permanent Resident Visa. Praise God. Praying for you and your wife and family. At one time the barangay Captain even asked me if I wanted to be barangay Police, but I told here the rules are for only a Filipino can be a Barangay Police 🙂 Regards, Alan & Gellie

    • Hi Allan. Sounds like you have a good thing going! Keep it up! Maintaining good relationships with the people in your community will always pay off!

  80. BOB, I have been traveling and have lived here about the same length of time as you here in Bukidnon. I have never had any sense of safety issues in that time.
    I’d like to share an experience I had today. I was visiting the Mother in Law rural barangy and I was approached by the town drunk at noon. He asked for money to buy Tanduay I said no, near by two young fellows saw what was going on took it upon themselves to keep the drunk away from me. One of the two kept apologizing for the drunks behavior, he said he was ashamed of it. He would not stop until I excepted his plea.
    In every society there are some bad apples, just try to use your 6th sense and avoid any confrontation. A smile goes a long way here..

    • Hi John – I have only had a couple minor incidents with Filipinos, nothing serious. The only serious safety threat I had here came from an American expat who made threats against my family. Glad things have worked out well for each of us!

  81. Bob I recently joined from here in Texas ,USA rely like your blog and have never joined any before you ,,my wife whom I recently married on Feb,2 2018 ,,,is there ,,I’m trying hard to get her a cr1 visa so she can come here and work for 3 or 4. Months save aas well as my saving go back and stay there for several months ,do it again..the ? Us knowing it takes up to a year to get visa what can I get quickly so she can just come here now ,,does she need a visa or is passport suffice?

    • thanks for your reply i was going to comment on the safety thing in the Phillipines .i recently got married there and spent a month traveling in jeepneys and other small transports ,the public transportation was very crowded .meaning the person near the back of the bus could not reach the driver to pay ,they would hand their money to a total stranger who would pass it along to other total strangers,then pass the change back. In the month i never saw anyone try to steal anything .wouldnt happen here in usa i promise,also seen young girls walking in dark roadways without any fear .seen one very pretty filipina girl with a short dress get off a bus and started walking down a long dark road .scared me for her but my wife didn’t understand why she should be that afraid .i explained that in the usa that could be very dangerous this was in tacloban city where mi wife grew up .i wouldnt expect manila to be as safe but the week i spent there i felt just as safe.

  82. john that practice to walk alone in dark street is dangerous no matter what country you are in, you should know this by now, at best this girl hade no other choice but to walk alone, but believe me she will be a target soon or later, who ever thinks this is safe think again before you do some thing silly

    • true ,i agree that all things happen in every country ,i was just impressed at how often it happens here in the usa compared to the phillipines in tacloban you rarely hear ofit

  83. Good article, as you know I recently moved to Davao from stateside. I move around the city daily, learning areas, shopping, just getting out in jeepneys, taxi’s, tricycles or walking. I’ve yet to feel unsafe. I’d venture to say I feel safer here than I did walking around some of the neighbor hoods back home. My way of thinking is be observant, but I’ll enjoy myself, be friendly and courteous. If it’s going to happen then it’s going to happen, in meantime just live.

  84. Hi Bob, First time post.just recently joined.Sorry to hear about your issues.
    Been visiting from Australia for 30 years ,only had one issues.Walking through Carbon in Cebu we thought we were bring followed.(daytime)
    Anyway we have now made the break from Australia and will be settling about 30 ks from Cebu city..Good luck

  85. im sorry some folks cant live ife on their own I first went to pi in 1980 during martial law and since then have been ther manyb times mostly manila pomponga visayas most recently we just came back last month and all that time i have never had a bad time ,people who have had trouble i think either has had bad luck or triggered it themselves . im planning to be there when i retire in the future soon