Philippines safe?

Hi folks,
May be going to Cebu province in the Philippines soon, but the government websight seems to suggesting that only fans of orange jump suits, radiators, hand cuffs, and dying should travel there at this time...Not being a member of the Terry Waite re-enactment society, I'm wondering if it's such a clever place to visit.

Any experiences? Anybody been there lately? Any good/bad/scarry stories? This is for Cebu province only mind, I know Mindanao is the main place to die.

Cheers!

Just take some condoms or you might come home with philippenis.

[timwilky]

I used to work about 130 miles North of Manila At Sual power station. Back then it was very safe, many of the guys I worked with bought land out there with the intention of building retirement homes due to the very low cost of living and the plentiful sex and beer.

Talking of which, I wonder if the firehouse in Manila is still going. Very unsafe place.

[maviczap]

The Fillipino's who I meet on a daily basis are very freindly and helpful.

But there is a lot of crime over there, and plenty of people carry guns. There is also a lot of ethernic tension between rivals groups.

Reading plenty of peoples travel logs, all the dangerous places aren't nearly as dangerous as Govenment websites make out.

So I'd treat it with the same caution as anywhere I don't know

Inside Manilla is a nightmare. Once you're outside it, fantastic.

C

[embee]

Originally Posted by Berlin

Inside Manilla is a nightmare. Once you're outside it, fantastic.

C

Who is this Manilla woman anyway?

A little story about the first time I went to Manila.

Every word true!

When I worked in Hong Kong, I had to fly there to give a presentation to NEC Philippines and a colleague, Raymond had to go and see his client there too, so we flew together. It was to be a there and back in 24 hours thing which we did a lot.

Half way from Hong Kong to Manila, the captain put the plane in a hold pattern and came on the intercom to say that the weather was very bad in Manila and a plane had gone off the end of runway due to it being flooded. We were to hold until they cleared the runway.

So there we were, flying round in circles west of Taiwan for about and hour. He then came on the tannoy again and anounced we were running low on fuel and had five minutes to decide to go back to Hong Kong or on to the Philippines. It was decided to head for Manila and hope the runway was cleared by the time we got there.

Sure enough they had cleared the runway and we came into land through very heavy rain and cloud. We Hit the runway as I looked out of the window to see only TV aerials sticking out of the smog and we proceeded to slide off the end of the runway just like the other plane! Full evacuation mode later and we were down the slides and soaking wet. I'd smuggled my laptop out under my jacket down the slide as I didn't want to leave it behind and it meant that if I could get to NEC I could still give the presentation.

Myself and Raymond split in the airport and I met up with the Sales Manager we had there. I'd never met him before and he was a nice guy.

We left the airport and got into his car and as soon as we were in there he handed me a 9mm pistol!! " No Thanks" I said, but he insisted. Not only that, he also insisted that as we were driving through traffic in Manila, if someone even looked at us funny from another car, to shoot them and he'd take care of it! Now this was a little bit disconcerting as I had no intetion of shooting anyone. As we drove he explained along side being our Sales manager, he aslo worked for the "Special" police in Manila in their armed response unit and he had "Quite a few enemies"! Jesus, What was I into here?


We then drove to our "Office" just outside of Manila (and thankfully I didn't have to shoot anyone) so I could get dried out before heading to NEC. The "Office" was a block of what looked like Lock ups in the middle of a paddy field with one road in and out. This was so he could "see who was coming".

On entering there was the Mother of all Rotweilers on a chain and in his office, in the corner, a shot gun leant up against the desk. This guy wasn't joking! We had a little tour and through in the next lock up there was (I kid you not) an old Ford Mustang parked facing the lock up doors. He explained that this was so if anyone attacked he could drive out through the doors and make his escape. By this time I was bricking it. I wasn't paid enough for this!

A cup of coffee and a drying out later we headed off to NEC and arrived at reception. "Please could I have you gun sir" the reception dude asked. How the hell did he know I had a gun? Turns out *everyone* has a gun in Manila!

I handed it in and we went up to a very fancy board room and I started my presentation. Everyone was there from MD down, that could possible be involved in the process I was presenting. 5 minutes into the presentation the whole bloody lot of them put their heads on the desk and went to sleep!! I talked to myself for an hour and a half and then slammed my laptop closed with a very loud " And that is the alpha level process. Does anyone have any questions?" Of course, no one did and we left. It was a complete waste of time.

An hour later I was being dropped back off at the Airport in Manila. I handed back my Gun and thanked my host for being so helful and literally RAN into the termninal! Only to find complete chaos. It turned out that just about every plane that had landed during the day had gone off the end of the runway and they were busy digging a 747 out of 4 ft of mud and it was going to take a while to get the airport Open.

Just then Raymond arrived and we went to the express check in together (both Cathay platinum members). All flights were cancelled until further notice. Raymond anounced he was going back into Manila to get a hotel. NO WAY Hose! I'm going to the lounge and sitting it out. I'm not going back into Manila for any reason!

So off to the Cathay Business lounge I head. It turns out there's LOADS of people already in there making very good progress in the free bar. Why not? Works over and I'm not going anywhere so a tripple Vodka and coke and I'm in there!

It turned into quite a party! The staff lost control about an hour later and then it was up to us to enjoy.

Later on I was sitting in a ring of people who were all going through what they did and a bit of history about themselves and as the grog had been flowing a lot was coming out. It was great! I was sat next to a very nice blonde American lady who was just past her prime but still a stunner. She was dripping in diamonds. Serious diamonds. And it was at that moment I met the person with the best job in the world! Her husband ran a rewards comany in the states that gave away "Prizes" for best salesman etc and it turned out this very nice lady next to me had been on her own private Island outside of Cebu for a week, trying to have a good time with $5000!! It was her job to scope out the packages for his company to give away!! She was on her way to Vegas to see if she could have a good time with $10,000 spending money.

I can't tell you how much I wanted that job! To this day I've not heard of a better one!

Soon after, the flight was called and it was now 3 in the morning and we were all rolling drunk. We were carried to the plane and flew very uneventfully back to Hong Kong where I'd forgotten I'd driven to the Airport and had to get a taxi across Hong Kong and leave my car at Check Lap Kok.

I got in about 5 am and had to be in the office for 8.

I had a bad head that day!

Manila! An experience!



C

[BanannaMan]

Originally Posted by Berlin

Inside Manilla is a nightmare. Once you're outside it, fantastic.





C

Originally Posted by Berlin

A little story about the first time I went to Manila.

Every word true!

When I worked in Hong Kong, I had to fly there to give a presentation to NEC Philippines and a colleague, Raymond had to go and see his client there too, so we flew together. It was to be a there and back in 24 hours thing which we did a lot.

Half way from Hong Kong to Manila, the captain put the plane in a hold pattern and came on the intercom to say that the weather was very bad in Manila and a plane had gone off the end of runway due to it being flooded. We were to hold until they cleared the runway.

So there we were, flying round in circles west of Taiwan for about and hour. He then came on the tannoy again and anounced we were running low on fuel and had five minutes to decide to go back to Hong Kong or on to the Philippines. It was decided to head for Manila and hope the runway was cleared by the time we got there.

Sure enough they had cleared the runway and we came into land through very heavy rain and cloud. We Hit the runway as I looked out of the window to see only TV aerials sticking out of the smog and we proceeded to slide off the end of the runway just like the other plane! Full evacuation mode later and we were down the slides and soaking wet. I'd smuggled my laptop out under my jacket down the slide as I didn't want to leave it behind and it meant that if I could get to NEC I could still give the presentation.

Myself and Raymond split in the airport and I met up with the Sales Manager we had there. I'd never met him before and he was a nice guy.

We left the airport and got into his car and as soon as we were in there he handed me a 9mm pistol!! " No Thanks" I said, but he insisted. Not only that, he also insisted that as we were driving through traffic in Manila, if someone even looked at us funny from another car, to shoot them and he'd take care of it! Now this was a little bit disconcerting as I had no intetion of shooting anyone. As we drove he explained along side being our Sales manager, he aslo worked for the "Special" police in Manila in their armed response unit and he had "Quite a few enemies"! Jesus, What was I into here?


We then drove to our "Office" just outside of Manila (and thankfully I didn't have to shoot anyone) so I could get dried out before heading to NEC. The "Office" was a block of what looked like Lock ups in the middle of a paddy field with one road in and out. This was so he could "see who was coming".

On entering there was the Mother of all Rotweilers on a chain and in his office, in the corner, a shot gun leant up against the desk. This guy wasn't joking! We had a little tour and through in the next lock up there was (I kid you not) an old Ford Mustang parked facing the lock up doors. He explained that this was so if anyone attacked he could drive out through the doors and make his escape. By this time I was bricking it. I wasn't paid enough for this!

A cup of coffee and a drying out later we headed off to NEC and arrived at reception. "Please could I have you gun sir" the reception dude asked. How the hell did he know I had a gun? Turns out *everyone* has a gun in Manila!

I handed it in and we went up to a very fancy board room and I started my presentation. Everyone was there from MD down, that could possible be involved in the process I was presenting. 5 minutes into the presentation the whole bloody lot of them put their heads on the desk and went to sleep!! I talked to myself for an hour and a half and then slammed my laptop closed with a very loud " And that is the alpha level process. Does anyone have any questions?" Of course, no one did and we left. It was a complete waste of time.

An hour later I was being dropped back off at the Airport in Manila. I handed back my Gun and thanked my host for being so helful and literally RAN into the termninal! Only to find complete chaos. It turned out that just about every plane that had landed during the day had gone off the end of the runway and they were busy digging a 747 out of 4 ft of mud and it was going to take a while to get the airport Open.

Just then Raymond arrived and we went to the express check in together (both Cathay platinum members). All flights were cancelled until further notice. Raymond anounced he was going back into Manila to get a hotel. NO WAY Hose! I'm going to the lounge and sitting it out. I'm not going back into Manila for any reason!

So off to the Cathay Business lounge I head. It turns out there's LOADS of people already in there making very good progress in the free bar. Why not? Works over and I'm not going anywhere so a tripple Vodka and coke and I'm in there!

It turned into quite a party! The staff lost control about an hour later and then it was up to us to enjoy.

Later on I was sitting in a ring of people who were all going through what they did and a bit of history about themselves and as the grog had been flowing a lot was coming out. It was great! I was sat next to a very nice blonde American lady who was just past her prime but still a stunner. She was dripping in diamonds. Serious diamonds. And it was at that moment I met the person with the best job in the world! Her husband ran a rewards comany in the states that gave away "Prizes" for best salesman etc and it turned out this very nice lady next to me had been on her own private Island outside of Cebu for a week, trying to have a good time with $5000!! It was her job to scope out the packages for his company to give away!! She was on her way to Vegas to see if she could have a good time with $10,000 spending money.

I can't tell you how much I wanted that job! To this day I've not heard of a better one!

Soon after, the flight was called and it was now 3 in the morning and we were all rolling drunk. We were carried to the plane and flew very uneventfully back to Hong Kong where I'd forgotten I'd driven to the Airport and had to get a taxi across Hong Kong and leave my car at Check Lap Kok.

I got in about 5 am and had to be in the office for 8.

I had a bad head that day!

Manila! An experience!



C

But other than that....it's great right?
Where does the line form to buy tickets.

[Red Herring]

Plenty of countries have reputations that are not all necessarily deserved. There are probably places in the UK you wouldn't want to go without a gun.... so I've heard!

Personally I'm a fairly firm believer in just being sensible and not making yourself an easy target. Don't dress to flash, don't walk around in the middle of the night, or in "quiet" bits of town where you might be looking for something they know you won't want to talk about..... and above all else don't carry a gun. Giving them your wallet is a whole lot less hassle than getting involved in a shoot out, especially when the guy who is going to cap you is standing ten feet behind you watching his mate hold you up.
One other tip, carry your cash (some of it) with a couple of old credit cards in a "spare" wallet in your pocket. It means you don't lose to much and won't be getting out your entire holiday stash every time you buy a beer.

[timwilky]

To add to what Berlin has posted, you have to question why there were armed guards on burger bars?

I did have a mate in the Philippines who went out on the lash with the lads and their wives. As he had to be on site early, he left his wife in the company of his mates. 3am the police woke him up. his wife was down the local nick for refusing to pay the bar bill for the table girl. She would not understand each table had a girl whose job was to encourage you to drink more. For each round you bought you had to buy on for "The tart sat at our table"