Are The Philippines Safe?
What about crime in The Philippines? Crime in Cebu City?
These are usually the first question I hear whenever I talk to people about The Philippines.
My honest answer when people ask “Are The Philippines safe?” is…..
Yes and no.
Seriously. There is no clear answer to those questions. I do totally understand why people would ask. I mean, outside of Manny Pacquiao, what else does the world ever hear about The Philippines? Usually whatever we hear in the news isn’t good. Poverty, terrorism, criminals, hatred of foreigners (especially Americans), etc. You name it.
But you must remember, the news always reports the bad stuff. News is a business and bad news sells. Bad news attracts viewers and readers, which then attracts advertisers, which attracts money. Nobody’s going to buy a newspaper or magazine to read about the airliner that landed safely, or the family that drove to the store and arrived without a scratch.
Seeing as I’m not Ted Turner and I’m not trying to sell you anything, I’ll tell you what I’ve experienced in The Philippines, both good and bad, and give you advice to stay safe in The Philippines.
Is there poverty? Absolutely yes. I have seen things there that would make even the coldest hearted person cry. Life is not fair and it can be very cruel at times. I knew of a small child who died out there years back due to the fact that the family couldn’t afford the proper medical care.
Although most Filipino people are friendly and caring, desperate times can call for desperate measures. So put yourself in their shoes. If your child was sick and you couldn’t afford the medicine to save their life, but you see someone walking around with expensive jewelry or the latest smart phone, flashing more money around than you’ve ever seen, do not tell me that the thought wouldn’t cross your mind about trying to get even a little of it to save your child.
Just as everywhere else in the world, there is also a drug problem. The big drug out there is known as Shabu. It’s a type of methamphetamine and it’s very addictive and has destroyed many lives. To the addict, It also makes you a more attractive target to get more money for drugs.
So, I guess my advice for today’s post is this……Dress neatly and comfortably (Remember. It is a tropical climate), but do not wear too much jewelry or expensive watches and don’t flash your money around.
Be aware of your surroundings at all times!
Don’t carry a wallet. If you do, do not keep your money or credit cards in it. Keep your cash in different pockets. It’s easier for a pick pocket to get into one of your pockets than it is to get in all of them. If someone’s going to rob you, don’t make it easy for them!
Also, you might want to keep a little extra emergency money in your socks, shoe, or underwear in case you do get robbed, you’ll have money to get back to your hotel.
From my experiences and from what I’ve heard from others. It seems that most thieves in The Philippines would rather try to outsmart you, or swindle you out of your money instead of attacking you physically for it. Of course this isn’t the gospel, OK? Physical attacks do happen, but again…..ALWAYS BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS AND THOSE AROUND YOU.
Most importantly. Please pay very close attention to what I’m saying here now. If you are ever approached by thief with a weapon. Give them what they want. This is real life. You are not Chuck Norris and this is not a movie and no amount of money or material thing is worth getting killed over. Don’t be stupid.
Do not misunderstand me. I am not trying to scare anyone away from The Philippines. I’ve probably said it a million times but I really love The Philippines. It’s a beautiful place with some of the most beautiful, friendliest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. I’ve made some very good friends there through the years who I love dearly. But, no place in the world is truly paradise. There’s always a flip side and I just want to make sure that your eyes are open to everything.
I honestly believe that you are much safer in The Philippines than you are in any city in the U.S.
I’m going to cover some more ways to stay safe in The Philippines in my upcoming posts so Keep checking back. If you’d like to comment on anything I’ve said here, please do so in the Reply section below. I’d love to hear from you.
Cebu Man