Safety in the Philippines

dirk c wrote:

<...>i feel safe .never been harased or attaked <...> i carry a stun gun

I would only carry a stun gun, if I didn't feel safe.  Never felt the need for anything like that.  Although there was a time in Australia, when living in a not nice location, that a stun gun (or handgun) might have been nice

i only carry the stunn becorse my Philippina wife insists on it haha,i been in way worse country's in africa ,were i lived in Djibouti even the french foreign legion only showwed up in large numbers and armed to the teeth haha,but there i was conssiddered as a regular suplier of free food to the neighborhood , so no one tuched me ,generosity cept me safe ,also the fact all knew i never carried monney on my hahahahahhahaa
central africa was interresting to (Kingsasha DRC)

Your Philippine wife feels that it isn't safe for you there, to that extent ?  What area do you live in ?

Astorga ,Sta Cruz, Davao del sur,but we'r movin more provincial to Caraga, Davao Oriental soon ,reason :Gulf of Davao to poluted and i want to build a boat to go fishing haha (fishing not so good round Davao)

HeavenlyS wrote:

I feel safer here than I did walking around the nice areas of San Francisco at night... the financial district, embarcadero and Market Street in SF are full of derelicts, criminals and vagrants in various states of intoxication, filth and debauchery.  They were constantly pilfering liquor and food from the supermarket in our building when we lived there and nobody seemed to do anything about it.  There were even a few shootings within a block or two of our $4k/month apartment in SF.  That would never happen here.

I know what you mean. My first job was located at the cusp of Hayes Valley and Western Addition and I had to ride a bus on Gough. After a month at work, my boss gave me a pepper spray and taught me to weave my keys in between my fingers for self defense. I was assaulted and battered on Grove in Hayes Valley on a sunny afternoon by 4 teenagers trying to grab my purse. And was also pick pocketed near SF City Hall.

I was told by family and friends to avoid making eye contact with passengers getting on the bus from certain districts. At one time, while waiting for a bus on Geneva Avenue, I lost my bearings so instead of going back to BART at Balboa, I went through Bayview. The scenic view of the bay in front of the bus would have been enjoyable, if only I wasn't facing the window most of the time.

At one time, I rode a taxi to get to my aunt's place in Daly City. The driver seemed like he was new to SF and didn't speak English very well. On the way to my aunt's, he thought we were going to go through Bayview.  It was night. He said he'd drop me off somewhere in Geneva Avenue. He drove me to my aunt's but only after I was close to crying while desperately trying to convince him that we would not pass Bayview going to my aunt's place.

North Beach is a nice area to get great Italian food, but I feel unsafe walking there at night, even when I have my husband with me. At Starbucks at BGC here in the Philippines, people might not touch your stuff if you left them, as Heavenlys had experience. But at Starbucks in SF, vagrants go in there pouring all the free milk and half-and-halfs into their large thermos bottles without asking.

I was twice very close to being hit by cars making right turns on a red light without doing a complete stop.

wen we lived in a low incom aria in Davao (panacan Relocation ) i was always feeling very safe,ppl were frendly always helpful and (to my feeling)acepted my for who and wat i am so Davao is not as bad as you discribe it to me.

I live in Davao City and i have never experienced any violence, personally.
I feel as safe here as in any inner city locations in Australia.
Regards,
Norman Allard

Hi,

The only place I feel safe in the Philippines is Davao, I can go anywhere, night or day and I'm fine.

I lived in North Beach on Broadway in the early eighties. I was young, had long hair and 'presented' as a local. Or at least as one of 'them.' I walked anywhere, day or night, 24 hours and nobody ever bothered me. Some years later I returned, short hair, good clothes and a rental car. I went to a club in the Haight to hear some music and wound up in a fight on the street. Sad to say these were not bums but regular San Franciscans.

People are the same everywhere. If you don't fit in you will be noticed. Remember that and don't go where you are not wanted. Or carry pepper spray and be ready to run.

And I agree about the Italian food in North Beach. Awesome stuff. And close to China Town- more good food.

Take care when you ride a jeepney. Don't show your phone or tablet and look carefully who is sitted down beside and in front of you. Taxi is the best way to move. When you walk around, don't wear up jewels or expensive clothes, bags, sunglasses, watches and so on. Try appearing like a native as more as you can

I have been to philippines twice and plan on living there. the first time I had a problem was taxi ride from manila airport,taxi driver did not take me direct to sm mall stop by a service station an demanded pay $30 dollars flat rate. second time in cebu taxi driver just pulled over and said get out beacause I would not paid his rip off amount. I generally feel safe but you need to use street smarts when in big cities anywhere in the world. only place I have not been in philippines is southern mindanao, I was in Davao no problem but  south do not want the risk with terrorists,which seems to be happening more on this planet.why can't people just get along -peace an love

This thread is about safety in the Philippines.
Please feel free to open a new topic on any other subject.
Thank you.

My father told me "do not be in stupid places at stupid times``
Good advice anywhere in the world.
Have a Filipino friend accompany you if possible.
Take taxis always and record the fender number.
If you dress chic, have a bodyguard!
Do not flash money or belongings.
Send money to yourself via WU or such rather than carrying it around.
Etc.
Usually I feel safe in Phils, depending on where i am at that moment.
Canadian.

I have felt relatively safe as I'm with very good Fillipino people and they are careful. We have heard about violent crimes and we watch the news but we so far have had no negative exeriences other than a Manila motorcycle cop wanting 700pesos for a non existant infraction (improper lane), we actually laughed about he needed money for his lunch break. My fiance lives in Imus Cavite, we travel to her birth place often in Gapan. I'm 65 yrs old and 6ft 5", I have military tattoos, I'm a 2 time war veteran, anyone that robs me earned it the hard way....lol