The "Safety" Issue

This is not a rant, just some thoughts I've had contemplating my eventual move to the Philippines. My thoughts and comments are centered around being in populated areas, not stomping through the jungle.

The issue of safety and security comes up daily.
There are very good reasons to be concerned about such things. We are constantly hearing reports about criminals acts, violent attacks and acts of terrorism being conducted in nations around the world.
Should we live in fear or should we simply be aware and live our lives as best we can?.
Those that have had direct contact with the criminals in this world are going to have a different answer than those that have not or at least have had less contact.
When you ask someone; “Do you feel safe?” you are going to get a very subjective answer. That answer is going to depend on that person’s perspective of their personal situation. It will be influenced by personal experience. Perhaps they themselves have been the victims of a crime or violent act. Perhaps they do not feel confident due to physical limitations or a perception that they would be unable to protect themselves if confronted by an aggressor. They may have a psychological tendency to focus on the negative. I’ve found that many ex-military and ex-law enforcement people have very strong opinions that vary greatly from non-military/law enforcement people.
It shouldn’t be surprising that media sources dependent on reader/viewer-ship numbers to sell advertising will lean toward emphasizing the unusual and spectacular in order to increase readership and/or viewers. This emphasis will always include reports of criminal activity. The more bizarre the better.
Law enforcement and other governmental agencies may also resort to this type of promotion in order to increase funding or influence.
Another consideration is whether the crime was perpetrated on an innocent citizen minding their own business or between criminals, rival gangs or other “less than innocent” individuals. Separating reported crimes of criminals against criminals from those of criminals against law-abiding citizens may change the total numbers significantly in certain areas.
It would seem wise therefore to consider the source and the motivation behind the particular “slant” of reports of criminal activity.
In the world there are areas many think are “lawless”. This term is often applied to the Philippines, mistakenly I think. There are no truly anarchic regions in the world. There is some type of order everywhere. It may not be the type we think of, stemming from a powerful central authority, but it is there in the presence of the local constable or other authority figure. Recognizing the source of order in a region is key to understanding the safety and security issues there.
In the Philippines the police force in many regions is undermanned and underpaid. You can not always depend on law enforcement being there when you need them and when present they may be heavily influenced by the local "order of things". The foreigner needs to be acutely aware of this reality. The old adage “When in Rome…” applies in a profound manner. Observe the precautions the locals take and consider applying them to your own living arrangements. They must be doing what they do for a reason.
After taking in the information and processing it, hopefully with objectivity rather than a previously set agenda, we can then ask ourselves “Do I feel safe?”. My experience after several lengthy visits to the Philippines and taking what I feel are wise precautions is; yes I do.

 

I agree...

Guess what were I live..I'm from Western Mindanao, and yet when I go to Manila, people are scared when I tell them where I grew up, they think we live in the jungle and constantly running away from bombs. The truth is I'm more scared walking in the streets in Manila than here!!, why? because of thieves, pick pocketers and so on,.. I never even heard a rape incident happen here in our City, sure there are precautions when Bombs do blow off here, but hey we still walk in the street with a smile.. and a woman from Spain came here to give us a talk in our University and she said "I feel more safe walking here than in the city of Madrid"... In every place, where ever you decide to settle, there will still be places to go and places to avoid, maybe it can be a ghetto street, maybe it can be, prone accident cliff, or a drowning prone river, fact is anywhere there are places that are good to avoid, natural or man made.. and I think we should do enough research and understanding of a place to be happy living in that place....:D

 

Is it safe? Is it safe? 'Marathon Man'

No way is it safe in the Philippines. We are large 'drum sticks' walking around. Watch your @ss at all times because you are being watched at all times.

Trust no one but family and even then, be cautious.

Hits are usually done by motorcycle in the PI. Usually ex cops, cops, and or security guards.

Robberies are usually done by drug addicts.

 

Any statistics regarding the offender categories you mention?
I also hear these stories sometimes, but have NO IDEA about the magnitude.
BTW...I'm cautious but not a scary drumstick

 

This is quite a good subject for current and future expats to be discussing. And as Timn8ter reminds us the subject of safety is deeply subjective depending on several circumstances or perspectives. For those of us considering Neg Or I have learned from my wife's perspective the sentiment that the police there have been very effective at capturing "out of towners" who commit crimes in Negros and Dumeguete and this is good news after hearing from her that she is seeing more and more strangers attracted to the relative quiet of Dumaguete and Neg Or.

She has also told me that the NPA has driven people from the mountains and that seems to be the areas they prefer. As Tubigboy says we are being watched. On my visit with my family last year it did not take long for someone to notice that an "americano" was now living in a locals house and one day while all of us were out my wife's sisters house was broken into. Fortunately we did not stay away long and must have almost caught them in the act because many things were still staged by the window in the back they had been using. After that incident I contributed to building a "security" fence around my sister-in-laws house and they are considering more bars around the windows. We had only been there two weeks so whoever they are, they act fast.

The importance is to realize that for some you are a "walking drumstick," you have to have some deterance or defense thought out and handy. For me, maybe because I am ex-military I would like to be able to keep a firearm around but I have read that is not allowed for non-citizens. My next step would be to arm one or two of my relatives if we live in the same compound. When firearms are not allowed perhaps other deterents such as pepper spray are acceptable. The point is I fell comfortable having a deterent near by. For some that is living in a busy community area and knowing all of your neighbors and for others it is building a higher wall. I have seen some expats there and the total property has a twelve foot wall and the house is not visible at all. Talk about paranoid, but I am sure they feel safe. And that safety is also relative, they have to leave the house sometime, or do they?

 

overdone - same scare mongering stuff i have heard in the last 10 countries i have live in. tugig show us the statistics, how many times have u been 'hit', is it really as bad as london or paris. please enlighten

it is scare mongering sh*t like this that has resulted in my mother living the paranoid life of a recluse, in an exceptionally safe location.

 

Jelly, didnt you tell me that when you were building your place you heard some noise outside and went out to investigate it at night time and the local guys that you had working there told you the next day to not do that because it is very dangerous? What? You think that they were lying to you? They told you to be careful because they have grown up there and they know! C'mon

Barramac, did you read what Pedro had to say? Please see below.

She has also told me that the NPA has driven people from the mountains and that seems to be the areas they prefer. As Tubigboy says we are being watched. On my visit with my family last year it did not take long for someone to notice that an "americano" was now living in a locals house and one day while all of us were out my wife's sisters house was broken into. Fortunately we did not stay away long and must have almost caught them in the act because many things were still staged by the window in the back they had been using. After that incident I contributed to building a "security" fence around my sister-in-laws house and they are considering more bars around the windows. We had only been there two weeks so whoever they are, they act fast.

I rest my case!

I am not a scared drum stick. Although, i do like eating a nice BBQ'd chicken drumstick every now and then! Seriously, I just try to be aware of my surroundings. Yes, I have been in some very dangerous situations before in the States but, it is a bit different out here in the Philippines.

No, Jelly and bulimic I mean bullabullamac! I dont go around taking statistics of crimes perpetrated on motorbikes. I wonder if the local police do? That maybe somewhere you can find the actual stats. Anyway, when I read in the newspapers and what my friends tell me (like two weeks ago) that an Aussie got whacked by two motorcycle guys and also didnt RHB's sori sori store get robbed by some guys on motorcycles? I have heard of this MO (motus of operandi) before as well. This is one of the reasons that the cops have numerous checkpoints for motorcycles. Futhermore, I have read that some of the perps (perpetrators) are ex cops, security guards, cops and or ex military. This is what I have read and been told. I am sure there are other means of 'offending categories' Just appears to me that these are the people with access to guns and have been trained to use them and a motorcycle is hard to track down and follow. So, it makes sense to me.

Bulabula, scare mongering sh*t? I am not trying to scare anyone. Are you scared? If so, dont be. Just be aware of your surroundings and who you are and where you are. TRUST ME, YOU DONT BLEND!

 

"Bulabula, scare mongering sh*t? I am not trying to scare anyone. Are you scared? If so, dont be. Just be aware of your surroundings and who you are and where you are. TRUST ME, YOU DONT BLEND!" -

please post a link to your local newspaper in the usa and we can she how much more dangerous dumaguete is to your town.

on a serious note, my mother is an absolute nervous wreck. i would rate her quality of life at about 10%, this is due to anxiety issues focusing on crime. she feels the same distress to a crime committed in sydney, new york or dublin

she lives in a very rural village in ireland - the total crime in the last 10 years has been as follows
- $1000 dollars stolen from a bar
- cigarette machine stolen from a bar
- calf feed stolen from the mart
- one house break in
- one store breaking

she already has lost virtually all the quality of her life and there are many more self imposed prisoners out there. and thank u, she reads this forum so now her anxiety will be deflected to my imminent death.

"Bulabula" i like that it mean fun and horse play in gaelic

tubig thanks for all the hard evidence, please note everything u wrote is hearsay or second hand info and does not relate to your scarmongering diatribe
"Is it safe? Is it safe? 'Marathon Man'

No way is it safe in the Philippines. We are large 'drum sticks' walking around.

Watch your @ss at all times because you are being watched at all times.

Trust no one but family and even then, be cautious.

Hits are usually done by motorcycle in the PI. Usually ex cops, cops, and or security guards.

Robberies are usually done by drug addicts."

bye the way, tubigboy are u ex military, i have a friend in the military, he uses very similar phraseology and hyperbole.

 

Bulabula, I said the Philippines not Dumaguete.

I feel sorry for your mother.

I didnt say this was a factual report. I am just trying to help people be more aware of their surroundings so that they dont get ripped off or hurt in anyway. Like I said before, I am not trying to scare anyone.

Interesting note that you posted Nov. 2007 Mr. bulabula, please see below!

hi there
newbie introducing themselves. as a foreigner who has been here a little while i am kinda embarrassed by 2 things
1.) i know very little about the Philippines. i have lived in a few countries and have been an avid reader of their history/economy/social issues. but i have not read anything here except the newspapers. could you recommend some non fictional work, i am more interested in the anthropological rather than the political stuff
2.) well the second one is my inability to speak visayan, but after spending most of the last 3 years trying to learn a non latin based language, i have to acknowledge that academically i am useless at languages and have given up before i start. so i will have to live with my ignorance

So, this was posted by you Nov 07. You stated that you know very little about the Philippines. Not my words, your words! Now, after 11 months you are now an expert on the Philippines? You dont have to live in ignorance, bulabula. Listen and learn.

By the way, if you want stats on safety in the Philippines or more precisely go to the local Police department or Mayors office. They might have stats on how many hits were by motorcycle, car, house breakins, etc. They can give you tips and suggestions.

 

yes i have only been here 18 months. 5 years in asia.
i still know so little, as literature is a mimimum from the last country i lived in (cambodia) i was able to get my hands on 30-40, historical or social commentary books and learn the khmer language. but the lack of historic interest in this country is very surprising. i know of the history lectures at silliman and he just reads western history as well.


u can make 2 choices in life
1.) live
2.) entrench
there is always a solution to move forward in a positive manner
tugig the usa looks like a thieving murderious monstrosity with 1% of the population in jail that is crazy criminal levels, but u can view it as a place that harbours 3 million criminals, have the worst drug problem, scary medical health stastics, huge fraud, huge amount of mass murders, gangs etc. is there a country with bigger fraud etc. but do u know what i really enjoyed living there, how could that possible happen? - u figure that out.

have a wander around dumaguete from sundown until 9 or 10, u will see lots of kids and preteens wandering around. they are not allowed out of the house in the west because of the danger. have a look at things through there eyes and quantify the risks

all violent crime that i have heard of has related to unpaid debts, affairs or gang attacks over shabu


it is your choice, but the biggest harm of the late 20th centuary in the west has been the complete removal of children and old people from the freedoms of life, as they lock themselves away. i did an assessment of this in london in about 2001, i had not met and old person for 3 years, then i had a day off work and could not believe how many of them were out shopping, a brief 20 minute charge out of the house to collect groceries, before they locked themselves back in

compare the usa to dumaguete, then evaluate your opinions.

sound like you have made your choice already, but put a monetary value on community, laughter, adventure, interests and fulfillment
it is not about cops doing drive by shootings