Review Best Posts in Thread: Getting killed in Dumaguete

I don't know how many threads in how many forums I did read over the years, where people are mentioning, and complaining, about dogs, Karaoke, roosters,corruption
and Pinoy behavior and manners in general.

Nothing has changed and nothing will change.

Neither you can deal and live with all of this issues, or you can't.

If you can you can live in a third world country with all its advantages and disadvantages. Noisy environment, corruption, murder and a non working legal system will be part of your life, as well as warm weather, beautiful young girls, and a lifestyle most of you probably couldn't afford in your home country.

If you can't deal with the circumstances of life here, it would be better to leave. Better for you, better for your neighbors, better for everybody.

If you try to change things here, you will be constantly disappointed and frustrated. And non successful. And maybe some day you will be a victim of shooting or stabbing.

In my opinion the Philippines are far away from being a dream country. It's just a place where you can manage your life. Or not.

 

It seems being killed for having a job in journalism is more common here than you might think, as a search online will show. There is the case of 34 journalists killed in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Bob Martin who lived in Davao for almost 30 years and owned a website advising expats, always said "It is not a Paradise in the Philippines" and he did that to counter the positive input from people who considered only the upside (I just read a few days ago of an expat excitedly recommending life in Manila where he lives for $600 a month!). Without getting into the amount he says he lives on in Manila, visiting many restaurants etc, as that has been covered here many times, there was no mention of litter, pollution from other sources, stray dogs, crime, etc. So many reports seem to avoid the negative.

So people need to know, so they can make a balanced judgement. It is a country where killing is too common and too often unpunished (that, of course, is one reason it is common!). Another very recent report is the killing by a group of gunmen of a 16 year old girl in Iloilo!

So articles on 'Living in the Philippines' also need to look at it from the angle of 'Living' (as in 'staying alive' in the Philippines).

 

Since he is an active radio commentator, he must have offended the feelings of some big or small people, but that is such a barbaric reason to kill someone. Other killings are the so-called "drug-related" killings so yes, the best thing to do here is to just live a simple life, avoid offending people, and do not get into anything illegal.

 

And the "unnamed" politician, official, or crime lord that ordered the hit is still free and might never be brought to justice.

 

There’s so much one could say about Dumaguete that’s just wrong but my asawa speaks with wisdom with three words,leave it alone.
The one dog next door who barks all night without let up,owners oblivious to it and just don’t care.
I went out on a limb without permission and yelled out one night from my second floor window,shut that §§§§**** dog up,the owner scowled at me on the road for the next month.
Made a comment about pigs being slaughtered near our house everyday,sometimes at different hours,was threatened with being the next lechon by workers,retracted statement on asawas stern reprimand.
Listened to the inane statement over a year ago about culling the dogs in our barangay,noticed now that they are more prolific,some of them will soon be getting a letter from the Queen for attaining the 100 year old mark.
Pigs again,next door neighbor after promising to cease having pigs next to our fence has i noticed two more for some distant wedding.
So you remain silent because that’s the way apparently it has to be,my asawa speaks truthfully,offend these people,whilst you might forget,they don’t.

 

I suggest you visit this or a similar area one day and explain that to the people there. especially to the kids who were born there (clearly not their fault) and who have very little chances to ever escape that situation through "a bit of sacrifice and simple living".

 

I'm a 75 year old expat from the US, been here 3 years, I treat EVERYONE with respect, whether friend, staff, professional, clerk, or city official, whether pinoy or foreigner, or even an official trying to extort from me (I can think of two). I have NEVER been yelled at by ANYONE, particularly parking officers (and I park in a LOT of "no parking" areas for short periods). Oops, forgot the foreigner that I drove close to in the crosswalk because I was trying to avoid the trike careening into my lane. I almost always get a big smile when I try my limited Bisayan vocabulary, which admittedly needs more work for residing here this long.

The only time I've raised my voice was to the foreigner berating a young desk clerk who was only following office procedure of asking everyone, no matter what their position in the queue, to show up at 9:00 (no matter how dumb the idea, NEVER yell at anyone). Another time I raised my voice at another foreigner berating a Handyman clerk about the makeup of motorcycle oil, totally inappropriate. Remember, the culture is not to admit "we don't carry that," (the corollary to the infamous "out of stock") and "I don't know," always in the idea of not offending. It's the culture, DEAL with it...

 

I am a full blooded Dumaguetena, a Pinay. I know that we Pinoys respect and welcome visitors, tourists, expats, foreigners who have chosen to settle in this small city.We are generally nice especially to foreigners.

 

Majority of our traffic officers are nice. I have never encountered of anyone mouthing bad words while at work. Sometimes, when I park at a "no parking" area, they come to me to tell me nicely where I can possibly park. I really have no problem with our traffic enforcers. Most of them are good people.