I have not been to too many cities in the P.I. but I have to rate Dumaguete high on friendliness towards foreigners. Cebu was friendlier than Manila, which had the most bad vibes. Maybe I haven't been here long enough but I have to say the people in this Country have by and large treated me well, except for government fees and bureaucracy. Even the security guards here, much as I dislike not having free access to stores, have been nice in the main. In contrast to the USA where alot of people are mean spirited and rude. I think the poverty here is what drives most of the bad behavior when it happens. I have experience very little foreigner directed hostility so far, but I do occasionally get the "look of death" from the villagers nearby, but no more. What's your experience?
You do have know to there is friendliness at a business-which may be mandated, and genuine friendliness.
Friendliness of local people has never been a problem for foreigners living here or tourist. The problem is red tape, corruption and of course lack of discipline in general.
Red tape, a big YES, terrible here and this is a form of government corruption. The corruption I have found is built in to the system which is biased against foreigners. Other than that I have not been asked for any bribes (yet) and the only people who have tried to cheat me are commercial drivers for two-3 pesos and landlord shemes. Actually their schemes may just be the way they do things here, making the foreigner pay for essentials that come free in other countries. I would not use "lack of discipine". I would say it's more a matter of ignorance and low standards, common among the chronically poor in 3rd world countries. Filipinos are often incredibly hard workers from what I have seen.
