Two weeks so far and im still alive. the northern coast of Mindanao is totally fine for a traveler. I think the few bad areas (Cotabato/Maguindanao) have given the entire island an undeserved bad-rep. Dapitan; totally safe, clean, quaint, and Aliguay Island diving rivals Apo anyday. CDO, a Cebu type city also seemed fine. Camiguin, as we all hear is amazing, lots of expats and little hotels and dive shops in Yumbing on north end. No problems there. Butuan City, relatively clean, organized, and friendly. Seems 100% safe. Only Iligan seemed to have lots of Muslims. Soon Surigao, Siargao, and the remote west coast road down to Mati.
"in the wrong place at the wrong time" I think applies anywhere on the planet- personally I stay away from potentially trouble areas like certain regions in the Middle East, any bars late at night in unfamiliar places, proverty areas late at night. I bet you could travel for a month or longer in southern Mindanao then report no problem area is fine; it's all timing. Personally walking along the national highway seems like a big risk and I should use better common sense, but we all take risks some people more than others. I stayed 10 days in Davao no problems but a year later there was a bomb at one of the malls. I would visit Davao again, maybe not at election time.
Sounds great. Definitely better than Dumaguete where people get hit in the back of the head with a beer bottle. Does that happen to anyone where you are? Perhaps you have found paradise.
I usually avoid Muslim controlled areas unless I am being paid to be there (and have military protection). Anywhere in the ARMM (and it's surrounding provinces) is my personal "off limits" area here. I do not care if people have traveled or lived there for decades without incident, nothing will convince me that Muslims are peaceful and tolerant of other's beliefs/culture. I've been to far too many Muslim countries to know that is simply NOT true. Even the "peaceful" Muslim countries/areas outside of the Philippines have sticks shoved so far up their @ss that anything a normal human would consider fun has likely been outlawed. I simply do not like anyone/group that forces their religion on other people, especially through laws/government. Not saying they don't have a "right" to control their own laws and area.....I'm just not going to go there and give them my tourist money. I'm sure they will figure it out when their oil runs out and the rest of the world doesn't need them anymore. (And if they want a glimpse of what their future will look like after their oil is gone all they have to do is look to the ARMM in the Philippines. The religion is simply not compatible with peace, stability and modern life and certainly not compatible with economic stability.)
You are totally safe in the Philippines, until sh@t happens. As a foreigner, you will always be seen as an easy mark. 99.9% will never encounter a problem, but now and then foreigners & locals are kidnapped and murdered. As Silverman said, wrong place, wrong time, which is multiplied if you are in a muslim area. Just a friendly smile to a girl could get you targeted. Don't tempt fate.