⌛ Wanting to relocate back to Dumaguete

Hi everyone. My name is Elaine and I am in South Africa with my husband, Danny, at present. We joined the Philippine SRRV program in 2004, but came back to SA in September 2005 as my mother-in-law was very ill. She has sinced passed away and we want to come back to Dumaguete permanently. We have been reading the Negros Chronicle online, over the past few months, and find that the reported crime rate is very high. Can anyone please give a a realistic view on the situation there now as compared to, maybe, 2005? Any info would be most welcome.
Hope you have a Blessed day

 

Crime has gone through the roof in the past couple of years.

I hate to say it, but I would reconsider Dumaguete. Even Cebu City is feeling safer now to me.

I just don't think the local powers are serious about rectifying the crime situation...maybe that will change with a new mayor...we shall see. But, the city is definitely on the wrong path. The problem is...crime really pays here. Almost no one is ever arrested for any crimes committed, including murder. So, the criminal elements just go wild...

 

Oh dear what a shame that is!! Thank you for your swift response. Would it be any safer on Siquijor Island perhaps? Is it JUST in Dumaguete or the entire surrounding areas as well. We are shocked to hear this! We felt so safe there in 2004. Mmm maybe we should rather go and stay with our daughter in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.....

 

I don't know about Siquijor myself.

I know crime is up nationwide due to the economic downturn. But, I think Dumaguete is fairing worse than most. It was once one of the safest places in the country, but now it seems that the criminals have discovered it as an naive jewel, ripe for the pillaging. The local police seem either unable or unwilling to fight back. In other cities, like Davao, the local mayor has fought back and is winning. Here, there seems to be no will to fight back...just more pillaging and still no arrests.

You could consider other cities where they are not so weak-kneed toward crime like Davao or Puerto Princesa. Or you could consider another country that isn't so corrupt and crime-laiden like Thailand or Malaysia.

 

There is no question that the crime rate has gone up, so has traffic. These are the negative consequences of growth. I think a lot depends on your frame of reference. Dumaguete isn't as safe as it once was but I still find it better than Manila or Cebu. You are coming from SA, and if what we read in the news about violent crime there is true, You will find Dumaguete a welcome change.

 

crime stats & an "honest" real estate agent

Ok so crime is up - but that is relative to where you are coming from in terms of experience. Are there crime statistics available on the area? Who are the crimes against?

Does anyone have a lead on an honest real estate agent?

Best,

MPLSMN

 

They are against foreigners, rich filipinos, not so rich filipinos, small innocent filipino girls who were raped and then murdered, a gay, a beauty queen, drug thrugs, and still counting!!!

Would you like to be next?!

I haven't heard of an honest real estate agent here. At least not from a reliable source. (Remember that most people on this site are referring you to themselves or a relative...never believe those referrals.)

Honest real estate agent=oxymoron in Dumaguete. Only a couple are even legal to practice the profession in this town. The VAST majority are illegal, fly-by-nights....Buyer BEWARE!

 

Thank you all so much for all the information. It does not make it any easier for us though, as we would have LOVED to come back to Duma. We are going to have to reconsider that now though. Kenny, it is exactly because of the way crime and hate speech is on the increase here that we want to get out; but not to another country where we would, once again, be targeted because of our skin colour, financial status or any other reason. We have worked so hard for 40 years to be able to retire in peace, and it just seems that is not to be at the moment. We will have to wait and see what happens in Duma after the elections. Maybe a new Mayor will bring a change in Duma. We can only hope and send out positive energy to you all. MPLSMN. I have to agree with Derivative Guru on the 'estate agents' situation, having experienced it for ourselves!! Do yourself a favour, ride around and find the properties for yourself. Notices afixed to the trees etc. Then get the title and take it to the deeds office and get them to check up for you exactly who the owners are and if it is 'clean title'. That's what we eventually did with the properties we were interested in. This helps you to weed out the 'chancers'. Speak to local expats that have purchased property there. Buy from the developer in a gated community. Hope this helps you. Luckily we were with the government program - SRRV - and we sent everything to them when we found something we were interested in. They then went through the docs and gave us feedback. Have a peaceful Monday.

 

I have never felt unsafe here and I haven't heard of anything worse than being pick pocketed from my fellow expats. Many of the murders here have stories that go farther than what the news stories show (involvement in the drug trade, etc.)

There does seem to be a lot of kids involved in gangs here. There are Bloods and Crips among others. I think the kids watch too much American T.V. Why couldn't they come up with something more original?

I can imagine how it started, a group of kids watched a show about gangs and decided to start a gang, the Bloods. They get their gang attire, work out their gang signs and buy cans of spray paint for graffiti. Several weeks later they feel something is missing, the Crips! You can't have Bloods without rival Crips. So they vote out half their members, tell them to start the Crips and give them a couple of weeks to get things sorted before they start "bustin' caps" in each others asses.

 

Danny, you are in South Africa right? You would feel much safer here than in there. You will not need to build laagers here. Siquijor? hmmmmmm....