Over the weekend, I got an email from a blog reader. He had a personal issue with which he needed some help. In his email, the reader said that he felt he may need an attorney, but was there any attorney I could trust and recommend to him. Based on the issue, I did feel that it was best handled by a Philippine attorney. It was an immigration issue, one that could be quite serious, so I gave the gentleman a list of Bureau of Immigration accredited attorneys. These are attorneys that have been certified and they deal with the Bureau of Immigration on a daily basis.
Within 5 minutes after replying to his email I got a response from him. Four simple words: do you trust them?
My friends, there are people in every country who cannot be trusted. A lot of people I talk to or hear from always talk about not being able to trust Filipinos.
They are liars .
They will cheat me.
You can’t trust Filipinos.
If you feel this way, why would you consider moving to the Philippines? If all Filipinos are untrustworthy, why do you date, or why did you marry a lady from the Philippines? Think about it.
The truth is that the people who are most scared of being ripped off, and have the least amount of trust in Filipinos are usually the ones that get ripped off! Why? Well, I am not sure, but I do feel that when you have that kind of attitude, you kind of broadcast it and the people around you pick up on your fear or distrust. That is a signal to those who do intend you harm that it might be time for them to move in.
Sure, there are people in the Philippines who are out to rip you off. There are also rip off artists in every other country as well. Ever heard of Bernard Madoff? He probably is one of the very top rip off artists that the world has ever seen, and I can assure you that he is not Filipino!
Seriously, if you fear Filipinos so much, why move here? I meet expats here all the time, just casually,maybe I see them in the mall or at a coffee shop. They will invariably come up to me and strike up a conversation. Probably 60% of the time I will suddenly hear them talk about being ripped off, or not being able to trust Filipinos.
This is the Philippines. It is, by nature, a nation of Filipinos. If you feel that so many Filipinos are out to steal from you, it is probably best to not even come here, or when you start feeling that way after you are here, good time to leave and go home.
I have lived here for nearly 16 years. I have been ripped off. I also had been ripped off in the USA when I lived there. But, I don’t think that all Americans, and certainly not all Filipinos are out to steal from me!
In my years of living in the Philippines, I can recall being ripped off twice. Maybe there were other times, but nothing major.
- When we lived in GenSan, I had a rented office space in a non-public area of a mall. It was a fairly good sized office, big enough for a nice office for myself, a secretary and maybe an employee or two. One time, I had a laptop that got stolen when nobody was at the office. I never was completely sure how it happened, and the police never caught anybody.
- One time, during Christmas, I was at SM here in Davao. I had a pretty good wad of cash in my pocket, P25,000. A pickpocket got the money. When I found my money missing, it was immediately clear to me how it happened, I just didn’t connect the dots at the time that it happened. That was years ago, and nothing like that has happened since.
Do office robberies happen in the States? You better believe that they do. What about pickpockets? Sure, it happens everywhere.
After you are here for a while, you do learn the scams and how to spot them before they hit you. But, overall, I do not consider the Philippines to be a super high crime place, and that is particularly true of Davao, where I live.
I guess my main point here is that if you feel so much mistrust for Filipinos, best for you to just look for a different place to live or visit… may be best for you to just stay in your home country.
Well said Bob.
You ALWAYS find what you expect.
That is so true, Byron. Anytime you are on the constant lookout for the boogey man, he always seems to show up!
What you fear is what you get the most of, The opposite is also true.
Hi Randy – It seems like a very consistent train of thought going on in the comments here. I also find that to be quite correct.
Love your blog, I started coming to the Philippines 18 years ago on a job assignment lasting 3 years and when the assignment ended i needed to return to the U.S. heart broken. I fell in love with this country. The people, the food, and the culture. I had returned once every year and now I’m retiring here. I have heard all the stories. I was born and raised in Chicago and of course there are stories there too. Just for the record…Davao City has been reported as the 4th safest city in the world… Quite an accomplishment for the mayor there, I take my hat off to him and all those who have helped… Looking forward in building my retirement home in Davao City.
Hi Barry – Mayor Duterte is tough on crime indeed. I believe he is a good man, at least he gives every indication of being so. I hope your reitement here in Davao works out for you!
If you whine and complain where you are now…you’ll whine and complain in the Philippines too. You always discover what you expect to find.
That is so true! You are the same person even if you move, so when you come to the Philippines you will still be the same as before, just in a different country! 🙂
One truism I’ve had to learn over my years is that one can never achieve more than the highest level of their lowest expectations. Another way to put it; a “Self fulfilling Prophecy”.
Hi Ronald – Ohhh. I like that! Very well said, and so true!
As I always say..there are good and bad people everywhere …in every race , in every land.. Always have been.. always will be …
Some people don’t seem to understand that, Malcolm, but it is so true! Kumusta ka, amigo?
mao lang gihapon, busy ko perme dire! Kamo?
Pareho ako, Malcolm. Busy busy lang. Daghang trabaho. 😉
You take care there Bob, me and Jenny are having a day at the seaside tomorrow, its about 120 miles to the sea from here. How is your son doing in the US of A? Our son is back from China land but hoping to go back again soon ! !
Oh, that sounds so nice, Malcolm Mac! Please pass our best along to Jenny. Yes, Aaron is still in the USA and he is doing fine! Seems to be enjoying himself. He has another 3 months or to before he comes home.
Thank you ..give best to Feyma …time to sleep here now (:-))
Bob;
Every country on earth has the underclass who will steal from you, the Philippines has no more or no less than any place else. I use a money clip in my front pants pocket close to highly sensitive sections of my person. Someone still might get it but better than a fat wallet in your back pocket. As far as scams and flim-flams, an honest man will seldom be cheated, as he know it doesn’t pass the smell test.
Like you I also wonder why people who feel that way would move here. Wouldn’t that be the same as walking into a lions den and saying, oh shit, there’s lions in here. About that time I’ll excuse myself and quickly walk away from that type of expat genius.
When purchasing something and I find the price includes the blue eye tax, I’ll examine the item until the seller asks me what am I looking for? I’ll smile and say, at that price it must contain gold in it.
No one is exempt from crime, just be aware of your surroundings.
Paul, it really baffles me when somebody will email me and complain about “all of the crime” here in the Philippines, everybody is out to rip you off, etc.. an in the next paragraph they say that they will be moving here next month and can’t wait to get here! Ha ha… makes no sense!
I keep my money in my front pocket also. Chiropractor suggested it would be better for my back (seriously). I guess carrying all that money around in my back pocket was just too much for my back.
Excellent post Bob!!! A major move to such a wonderful place as the Philippines should be taken with complete enthusiasm and optimism not doubt and fear. Ripoffs are a global epidemic
Bob,
You hit the nail on the head with this article. I am with you why move to a place where you will distrust everyone. I have always been told “You reap what you sew.” You have distrust of everyone you will find it. To be quite honest I find this to be a bigoted view of people. I am really perplexed by this person being married, I presume, to a Filipina and not trusting Filipinos in general.
Like you, Scott, I don’t understand how a person (or why) could be married to a Filipino, yet distrust basically all Filipinos. But, even though I don’t understand it, it is also VERY common. I hear from people like that all the time. I think most people distrust Filipinos. My experience is quite the opposite, though, I have found lots of reason to put great trust in the Filipino people that I deal with.
Bob,
One of the reasons I tend to shy away from meeting other expats. My wife will be “babe look American.” I am like ya lets just mind our own business.
I have had my bouts with Ugly Expats before. While in Baybay Leyte I had some guys from Australia yell across a crowded restaurant at me. They were drunk and kept yelling Where you from mate. I ignored them then they stopped my wife and was questioning here. I got up went to the table I plainly told them I am not your mate and quit yelling as they were families there eating. They shut up and eventually left. I thought the Filipino customers were about to applaud when I did that. They were definitely getting uncomfortable with them drunkards yelling. One of the Americans I know there said everyone in town was talking about the American that shut the drunks up at Andocks.
Hi Scott. There are certainly plenty of unruly expats. However expats are also entitled to a fair shake and not being judged before they have shown their stripes. I suppose that those guys made everything pretty clear when they started shouting across the restaurant.
Bob please don’t get me wrong, I am not antisocial but rather just a quiet and private person. I meet expats thru other expats or my asawa’s friends husbands. I do talk to some strangers if we are waiting for a taxi, or a ferry, or we are at a party. Just not the type of person to walk up and talk to people in the mall. But I can see since you are somewhat a public figure, that people recognize you from the website and they come up to you to talk.
No worries, Scott. I understand that perfectly.
i’m the same way scott nothing wrong with that
Trust is earned not given. I trust that people have their own best interests in mind, not necessarily mine. That goes for wherever I am.
I agree that trust is earned not given
Shouldn’t distrust also be earned? In this case it seems that am entire nation is actively distrusted unless they prove otherwise. Shouldn’t the feeling be neutral toward the trust issue for starters?
Distrust is earned just like trust. You have to start somewhere or you will be a lonely paranoid individual.
Yes! Exactly my point. At the very minimum you should start out as neutral. I tend to lead toward trues with new people, and hopefully trust grows as you gain more experience with the person in question!
For sure, Lou. Thanks for stopping by.
Thiefs live every where. That is why there are jails in every country. I trust the people around me here in the Philippines and I trusted many people in the USA. Attorneys are like everyone else there are good ones and bad ones, and I have used them in the US and here and guess what the only bad one was in USA and he is still in a Federal prison in the USA and he is no longer an attorney, he was disbarred for his crimes. GO to an attorney and talk with him or her, if you have a bad feeling leave, if you like what the person is says then move forward. Your question though does not mention if the need is here or back in ur home country. If here then use a local attorney, they know the laws and have the contacts to get it handled, if it is in USA (use a US attorney, same reasoning). I needed one years ago and used AIA and found them to be very good and I did everything over the phone.
Hi Luke – You sure are right, the Philippines doesn’t have a monopoly on rip off artists, thieves, killers or criminals of any kind. If you watch the news from any country, they all have stories about this kind of thing going on all over the world!
Hi Luke – You sure are right, the Philippines doesn’t have a monopoly on rip off artists, thieves, killers or criminals of any kind. If you watch the news from any country, they all have stories about this kind of thing going on all over the world!
Yes they do. But I feel safer here than I did in my hometown in Ca. Plus the people here talk with me when I am out on walks and they r friendly to me. I do not understand why anyone would live in a place that they have no trust in the people around them.
Yes they do. But I feel safer here than I did in my hometown in Ca. Plus the people here talk with me when I am out on walks and they r friendly to me. I do not understand why anyone would live in a place that they have no trust in the people around them.
Bob, people are the same good and bad were ever you go if people have a attitude like that stay at home don’t come to the Philippines, I have a lot of Filipino friends i trust 100 percent , you just have to be careful what you do
And always be aware there’s a story on face book now regarding a foreigner
Who’s ripped off hundreds of Filipinos with a scam in Manila pretending to
Have been robbed and injured he plays on people’s trust who give him money
For a taxi home he’s done it hundreds of times, finally his last victim took his
Photo I hope that’s the last we see of him , but there are hundreds of scammers
In Manila and a lot of them are foreigners sad to say, Derek in pasig.
Hi Derek – I have heard of a number of stories over the years of foreigners running scam operations in various parts of the Philippines. I think it is actually pretty easy for a foreigner to do, because Filipinos have such an affinity and trust of foreigners. Really sad. My experience with Filipinos is that not only can most be trusted, but they will go way beyond their means to help if at all possible.
Watch out for the people that are the most suspicious of others, there is a reason they don’t trust any one. Seems to me that those that trust the most can more than likely be trusted. I disagree with you statement of “I think most people distrust Filipinos.” I think quite the opposite, but of course it depends on what people we are associated with. Now I wonder if I am wrong in thinking most of the LIP readers trust most Filipinos. Good article.
Hi Loren – How are you doing today?
I think almost all of the people you see on this site trust Filipinos. It is the “one time” or “occasional” visitors that people don’t see here who have the distrust. I have contact with those people because while they may remain hidden on the site, they will contact me directly with their stories of mistrust and such.
One of the reasons that I feel that a lot (most?) people distrust Filipinos is that as I think back when we lived in the States, when I told people that we would be moving to the Philippines I got so many warnings that things were bad here… we would be kidnapped… people would steal us blind and such. I sure am glad that I didn’t listen! 😉
I agree with you on that. I just tell them that there are more people killed in Chicago every week than are killed in the PH.
Hi Loren, there are more killings in Chicago each week than a whole year here in Davao.
As always spot on Bob. I am still battling my body awaiting the arrival of My second grandchild before I make the trip to Gensan.
Nikki and I celebrated 1 year of internet ‘dating’. And trust in this type relationship is tantamount. But as was stated you get what your expecting. That is the general rule, sure there are exceptions, for example if I arrive after a year of internet connection and a year of me sending 10000 php a month to help support her and her three kids. (I cannot explain the joy I’ve received seeing the smiling faces of the children.) I could find out I’ve been duped NOT expecting that but I’m not gonna blame a whole nation for one persons actions. I’ll blame myself for my own poor judgement. Still hoping to drink that symbolic Beer one day to meet
with you my friend. I haven’t commented much lately but still reading most your stuff. Keep up the good work
Hi Jeff – Thanks for your kind words, glad you liked the article.
“you get what you expect” is so true. If you expect to be ripped off, you probably will be! 🙂 I wonder if these kind of people understand that?
While I don’t drink… we can have a “symbolic” beer anytime you are in the neighborhood, Jeff! Root beer for me! 😉
being paranoid i trust every one just a tiny bit, then give them more rope to hang themselves with. some turn out to be good trust worthy people, and others reveal themselves as snakes really early. recently i had someone i had considdered to be a friend here in usa, bite me realy good. he ran interferance for a girl he knew for many years under the pretense of buying household items lass than 1 week from my departing the usa to get married in Philippines . then at 2 am when im getting my passsport to go to the airport, i discover that my so called friend was my worse enemy. that was first week of april, 2015 and many thousands later i have a new passport, and another ticket. this time i will not be coming back here to usa for a long time!! while i was visiting last spring i found the people to be to my liking, and to be trustworthy.
Do you trust them? why would anyone trust a lawyer, any lawyer! they are paid lier’s , prostitutes that side with whichever side is paying them! Even Abraham Lincoln who suposidly freed the slaves represented slave holders and helped them justify their right to own slaves and once gave a speech and told the south that they could own slaves for forever and a day, if they would not susceed from the union! there is a saying, just because you are paranoid, it doesnt mean they are not out to get you! hahaha!
Hi Leonard – I feel bad for you, because living life barely being able to trust anybody, always being on the lookout for people to “hang themselves” must be a dreary life. I understand that we all get bitten from time to time, but for me, I have to live with that chance, but still offer my trust until it is obvious to me that it is not deserved. I give people the benefit of the doubt.
Sorry to hear of the troubles you went through.
True that! When I first visited NJ (I’m Filipino), a sales man ripped me off. Promising me to mail the free item (they had an ongoing promo) to the place I was staying but after 3 months and I was about to fly back home, still no package. Called and email a couple of weeks before that, but nothing. It was a small item so I let it go.
Fast forward to 2013, I visited NYC and in time square, a couple of guys were handing me their “free CDs” saying they just want people to hear their music. Even wrote my name or what they thought my name was when they heard my sister called me on one of the CDs even though I sad no. I finally took the CDs because they were very insistent hoping they would leave. But then they started asking for money “donations”. The smallest bill I had was $5 and they wouldn’t take it. So I threw the CDs back to them and walked away annoyed keeping my $5 with me. Not exactly being ripped off but point is, no other Philippine city is more developed than NYC. But even there, some people hassle you and you can’t trust what they say. There will always be bad apples in a bunch.
Hi Mau – Thanks for stopping by and sharing your story.
Those guys in NYC Times Square sound pretty pushy. If it had been me, I would not have been able to throw the CD back at them, because I would have never taken it in the first place. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, but those guys were so pushy toward you that it was quite obvious that they didn’t have your best interest in mind! 🙂
Here for me and my asawa it’s not the stranger dranger that I worry about. Rather, it has become my in-laws thinking I am Bank of Kano – their personal ATM. Even my wife has become pissed at their atitude about our money being theirs.
Our house is on property her mother and father own and comprises her brother’s house and 6 borders. We have air cond and pay for our electricity, yet her brother pays his parents nothing for his electicity and his house is twice the size of ours. Yet, ‘mama’ is always asking us to pay more to cover the brother. We told her no.
Her brother comes over and borrows my beer or ask money for it. I’ve loaned him money for a tire – yet he tells my wife it was not a loan, and uses the money to buy beer and take the family to McDonalads. We loaned him 3000php to bring in his sugar cane. His 11 yo daughter wanted her own bed and I told him to keep the sugar cane money and buy her a bed with a mattress. He uses the money to put in a ceiling and gets his daughter a wood-slated bed with a blanket for a mattress (500php). He drives a mutlcab and when we ask for a ride to the city he charges us – not the usual 30php but 300. Her father charges us 500php in his car. Now that we no longer use his multicab he’s upset with us.
I said to mama, one day, that the fence needs repairing. Next thing I know my wife ask me why are we paying for the new fence? Mama ordered the bamboo and charged it to us.
On the positive side we are financing the University education of two of her sisters with ambition to get an education and out of the Philippines.
We are planning to have children and my wife has a 4 yo daughter. We will not raise her or our children here due to what I call ‘insidious complancey’. I watch the children here bright and wanting to learn. Yet I see the parents doing very little to encourage their children, let alone help them with their homework. They come to me and ask for help.
The adults here, for the most part, have allowed their enviroment and conditioning to beat them down. They have no desires. The young want to go to America as fast as possible to achieve their dreams. For the vast majority they will never do so and become as their parents. Insidious complancey.
If a person just wants to retire here and live on the economy and enjoy their later years it is one of many countries one can live comfortably and have many trustworthy Filipino friends.
For us this not the place to be, and no we will not be moving to the USA. We will travel for a while and then settle to have and raise our children. IMHO the Philippines will be getting worse due to the Brain Drain. More and more of the best and brightess will be getting University educations and taking their knowledge with them.
I guess your situation is pretty to solve. If the brother asks to borrow, just say no. If problems persist move away from the family compound.
August 13 we be gone 🙂
Problem solved!
Thank you for your kind remarks about Filipinos. Thank you for being considerate. These are basically faults of human nature but we may not oftentimes recognize that.
Thank you, Gerardo Reynaldo.
I was going to mention it but it looks like Mau in an above post beat me to it. New York City is loaded with tourist traps etc. I would not accept anything from anyone I didn’t know even for free. Chnces are the salesman routine was someone collecting addresses either for some kind of mailing list or, maybe something else.
When beggars in PH approach me with their hand out I pay no attention and just keep walking and if they are the least bit persistant I was told on my first visit to just say ” Wala “. That usually works.
I had an attempted overcharge in PH from a taxi driver in CDO saying he could take me to Iligan for only 3000 peso. I knew from previous visits the cost had been either 1500 or 2000 peso, so I politely declined the offer of a 3000 peso ride. Another overcharge on my most recent visit I took a taxi from point A to point B the unmetered charge ( taxis in Iligan don’t use meters ) was 300 peso, a fair amount considering the distance I thought. on the return trip point B to point A in a different taxi the driver wanted 400 peso. I didn’t say much about it to the driver but my Filipino friends with me in the cab sure did . I paid the 400 peso ( no tip of course ) I figured for 100 peso ( about $2.50 USD ) not worth getting into a confrontation.
In my own experiences, in 9 visits to The Philippines I have not encountered much of a lack of trust situation that i can easily recall. I look for the good things and I usually find them. Sure, there may be untrustworthy situations along the way but as Mau has illustrated in his visit to New York and New Jersey, this kind of thing can happen anywhere.
Hi Bob – Interesting that the taxis in Iligan don’t use meters. It is like that in GenSan too, I hate it! In fact, I won’t ride a taxi in GenSan for that very reason. I can’t imagine paying more than P100 to go from one part of Iligan to any other part, if using the meter.
I think 100 peso and a bit more is what you would expect to pay in Iligan now days. The points A and B that I mentioned were between MSU-IIT and the entrance to NPC Natures park, just over the other side of the Agus River Bridge.
Next visit I might keep a log of each time I use a taxi. Many times I go to the same places and see how the rates compare.
In front of the mall drivers will come up to you. There were a few times where I wanted to go to a certain place , have the cab wait for 1 hour and then return me to my hotel. I had one of my Iligan friends with me so he could tell them in Bisaya what we wanted. It turned into an auction scene, lowest bidder got the job. I gave him 50 peso to buy himself some refreshment at a nearby sari sari while he waited. We met him exactly one hour later, the fare was reasonable and I gave him a 50 peso tip when we were dropped off at the hotel.
I think one reason they dont use the meters is if it is a very short drive they would not be making money from it. If anyone asks me, I would say from my experience be prepared to pay a minimum of 100 peso.
Hi Bob – for your next trip, just an FYI. Taxi rates have gone down here. The “flag down” rate is not P30 instead of P40. But, the meter still starts at 40, the driver is just supposed to deduct 10 from your fare. Of course, if they don’t use meters there… well… 😉
No matter your political affiliation, the late Ronald Reagan had it right. Trust but verify.
Trusting without verifying makes you gullible.
Not trusting and never verifying makes you callused and hard.
(Ok, I know there exceptions to the rule but in general, you will fine it like this.)
In simple words, you might be right but don’t be stupid.
Ha ha, LeRoy. I never thought about that, but it is a perfect saying to cover exactly what I am talking about!
Hi Bob
I actually find that Filipinos trust Filipinos less than us westerners do. Perhaps they are just wiser than us or perhaps it is purely through experience.
In my view everyone gets one chance. Abuse that chance and you are never to be trusted again. It’s stood me in good stead so far.
Cheers
AJ UK
Hi AJ indeed, I am aware that many Filipinos don’t trust their countrymen. I first observed that about 25 years ago. On the other hand, most Filipinos want to leave the Philippines. The people I am talking about distrust Filipinos but badly want to move to the Philippines. That makes no sense to me.
Bob, great post. You are spot on, I always say “People are people”. I have travelled over a lot of the globe and the only place I ever felt unsafe was in the States in San Francisco. The only places I was robbed was not in the Philippines or Mexico or any other place that people said it would happen, it was in Melbourne and Sydney here in Australia a country that people would quite rightly say is safe.
People just need to use common sense. You don’t wear your 5 carat diamond when you are going to visit a place where have a struggle just putting rice on the table for their children. Although in my experience it is in places like that you find the most honest trustworthy people on earth. It has been my experience that the more money somebody has, the less trustworthy they are… LOL
People will be people… you are correct. It is the nature of some people. Common sense is always the sensible way to go!
Bob…. late to the party, but I will add my observation.
When I hear expats say the terms “they”, “them”, or “locals”, I usually prepare myself to hear a BS, racist, or inane argument.
When people think in terms of “us vs them”, it starts becoming a battle or a competition.
That is a sign that a person is either ready to leave or should rethink moving here.
Yes, those words indicate a divide, and potential trouble ahead in the conversation!
I’ve been visiting the Philippines almost every year since 1992, never been ripped off or had anything stolen from me. Being aware of where you go and what you do is necessary to avoid any problems. And this goes for any part of the world – there is good and bad everywhere. The only case that I personally know of is my nephew in Cebu having his mobile snatched. But then again he wasn’t paying attention in a crowded place. The neighborhood around my wife’s place in Cebu is, for me at least, the safest place to be in because all of them watch out for me.
Bob,
I think part of the problem with distrust is not knowing the language, which i only know bits and pieces of. Anne probably distrusts way more than i do. People go by perception instead of actually learning to know someone.
I agree that learning the language is very important… important enough that I took the effort to fluently learn to speak the local language. But, most of the adamant “I don’t trust Filipinos” guys don’t ever take such effort.
I read your post Bob and most of comments. I just share this: I live in Canada (in the Quebec province – native french) and I know someone (relative) who has always had the bad habit of leaving his keys in the car. Even when not in use. One day someone stealing his car, it was pretty easy. But what I remember is that he was angry, surprised to have stolen his car.We can get ripped off anywhere. Lack of attention,, a temporary distraction. I do not trust any Canadian I know here. And I would add that I contact filipinos are very honest people I can feel it. There are devils everywhere on this earth. Sorry if my English is not perfect. Have good evening (it’s 8h12pm now in Phil.) It’s a really good post Bob,, Thank !!!
If you are on a Balikbayan Visa you are not required to have an ACR card, that is very true. Banks generally require an ACR card in order to open an account, though. So, if you want to open a bank account, I would recommend getting an ACR card, to make it easier.
I totally agree with what you say about Filipinos. If you make it easy to steal from yourself… such as leaving your keys in the car, you are pretty much asking for trouble!
Sorry,, it’s mistake Bod,,,, Good Morning to you,,,,,,, and everyone… Ha ha ha.. It’s evening here,,, in Canada… I want add one more : I have project,, until one year ( was waiting retirement) to move in Philippines.. I not only trust but I am so looking forward to be there .. I have to learn the language,, I want to know at least the basic language used in the region of Davao / Panabo / Tagum. I am very happy to have found your website Bob ..I can find all the information I need.
No problem! Good evening to you! The main language used in the Davao region (that is where I live) is Bisaya/Cebuano. I have a full Cebuano course if you are interested. It is $14.99 per month for 15 monthly payments. You can find it at:
Learn a Philippine Language