Why would anyone want to visit the Philippines?

[Tony125]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anthony-papa/end-the-drug-war-phipresi_b_10889944.html WORLDPOST

End the Drug War: Philippines President Duterte Says Kill All Drug Dealers

President Rodrigo Duterte, the new leader of the Philippines is out of his mind. His method in solving the drug war is simple, curb demand and supply by killing off drug dealers. What if he continues his madness and wipes out thousands of suspected dealers and suddenly illegal drugs disappear from the streets of that country?

Edited July 11, 2016 by metisdead
14) You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Please only post a link, the headline and the first three sentences.

[MyFrenU]

Duturdy is a madman there's no denying that but he's going after Pinoys/Filipinos NOT Westerners,that's the difference with the Philippines where they even tell you "We don't kill foreigners here"!
Anyway he's 71 and someone will probably shoot him sooner rather than later so I wouldn't worry too much!

[Trevor25222]

One would expect more tourist deaths, in absolute numbers, in Thailand, simply due to the order-of-magnitude larger tourist arrivals.   Are those 126 deaths in the P.I. purely murders?   Some statistics conflate all deaths, including accidents and old fogies croaking on the horizontal-jogging circuit.

 

BTW have any direct flights to CRK (Angeles City) resumed from Bangkok?

Edited September 2, 2016 by Trevor25222

[balo]

12 people killed in an explosion in Davao City today , not sure if any foreigners were involved. . 

Edited September 2, 2016 by balo

[Ulysses G.]

On ‎1‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 8:30 AM, lometogo said:

 

Violence? I'm from America so it's hard for me to find a more violent country than my own.

 

Are you serious? You must have been living in Compton. Unless you are living in a ghetto, the USA is much safer than PI.

[genobkk]

Not sure why the hate for PH. I just spent more then one month, never had any issues, even while in Manila.

[sekmet]

I’ve been to Thailand eight times, as a tourist/traveler. I mostly went to Phuket, but also Railay, Krabi, Samui, Khao Lak, Taka Pua, Bangkok and Chiang Rai. Last year, I went to Philippines for three weeks. I flew into Cebu, and traveled to Bantayan, Puerta Galera and Malapascua. Obviously, I don’t have the depth of ex-pats who have lived in either place, but at the same time I am not vested or beholden to either.

Never felt unsafe in either country. Of course, I am careful about my surroundings and try not to get drunk. I’ve ridden tuk-tuks, longtails and taxis in Thailand. In The Philippines, I rode jeepneys, habal-habals, banca boats and ferries. I haven’t been to any ghetto places in Thailand, but I did go (with a Filipino) to a sitio in Lapu2X that was pretty sketchy – but no beggars and I didn’t get robbed. There are a fair amount of beggars in Phils, more so than Thailand, but as anywhere else, if you ignore them they go away.

It’s hard to beat jasmine rice, it really is. Filipino rice sucks. I ate at a couple of carenderias, and it wasn’t bad. Sig-sig with garlic rice and a fried egg can be tasty and you can get for about US 75 cents. There was a Calda pizza place near my hotel in Cebu where I could get two tall bottles of Red Horse and a14” pizza for about US$5.  I’ve had some Thai street food that was so heavily laden with MSG it gave me a headache. So, I don’t know. Personal preference. At Filipino supermarkets you can get almost any kind of foreign food you want and the mark up is not hugely expensive.

There are a ton of Koreans in Phils. I’m not Korean, but I can speak it and understand it. It seems like the Filipinos have more ambivalence toward Koreans than Canos. I’ve found people to be pretty nice. But like anywhere else, a smile goes a long way. And this is also true in Thailand.

Can you get murdered or mugged in the Philippines? I suppose so. It didn’t happen to me. There is a police or security presence everywhere and most of them have guns. My Filipino friend said that most of them don’t have bullets. I saw some riot police once with automatic weapons and an APC. I suspect you probably have a better chance dying in a traffic related accident in Thailand that being shot in the Philippines. Depending on the source, Thailand always ranks in the top five in the world for this statistic. And in Thailand, there are a fair number of dubious farang “suicides” or jumping from balcony incidents.

Infrastructure is a big challenge in the Philippines, especially around energy production in outlying islands, and wi-fi can be spotty or non-existent. But the beaches are splendid, and most do not have jet-skis or para-sailing gangs – yet. I used to like Kata beach a lot. Lat time I was there, some brackish black effluent was emanating from a klong down by where the old reggae bar used to be. Patong beach is terrible. Samui has some nice beaches, but they also have a huge pollution problem. Railay is nice but riddled with longtails. Phi phi was nice, but now it is speed boat gangs. The beach at Khao Lak has waves too strong for swimming. I’m sure there are nice beaches in Thailand. Puerta Galera is stunning. Bantayan is very nice. Bounty Beach at Malapascua is not so good, and yet there are so many more I have not explored, like Palawan, Bohol, Cavite, Boracay, etc.

I would say if you are comfortable with a certain place, then stay there. If you have an open mind and a good attitude, then travel. The first time I went to South Korea in 1993 I was pretty nervous, but after seven years there, it is very easy and comfortable. And I can’t judge Korea by Seoul. The first time I went to Thailand in 2008, I was a little nervous, but now I feel very comfortable there. And last year, when I went to the Philippines for the first time, I had a bit of anxiety. But I want to go back. And I am going back. This year I am going to Luzon/Pampanga area and then I am going to check out Cambodia. Give it a spin. Worse case scenario is that you would know it is not right for you.

[MaeJoMTB]

On 7/10/2016 at 6:19 PM, Scouse123 said:

That's an unfair and sweeping statement. I started the thread by stating about a friend who had returned from there and gave his assessment on the place and he is well travelled around Asia.

We have heard from guys who have lived there for substantial amounts of time and some who have Filipina wives. You cannot say they are all wrong just because their experiences and knowledge differs from yours.

I've found the Philippines to be a friendly and safe place.

Thai guys are often threatening, Filipino guys not so much ..... maybe it's because they can speak English.

I totally agree with MyFrenU assesment. I've encountered more threatening white guys in CM than I have Filipino guys in Manila.

[MaeJoMTB]

On 6/11/2016 at 0:43 AM, balo said:

Phills is more dangerous for foreigners when you look at the reported cases in the media. Compare with Thailand that receive at least 80% more tourists than Phills it's not hard to understand the risks you face there.

I know 10 foreigners who have died in CM, and none who have died in the town I visit in the Philippines.

(2 falls in shower, 2 hit and run, 2 cancer, 1 liver failure, 1 fall in moat subsequent death from unknown causes, 1 dead in morning unknown cause, 1 balcony jump). Only one of these guys was over 51 at the  time of his death.

 

That's in the last 7 years. When I say 'know' that's guys I've had drinks with.

Chiang Mai is dangerous!

Edited January 24, 2017 by MaeJoMTB
typo

[LongTimeLurker]

On 1/8/2016 at 10:42 AM, KittenKong said:

, no official dual pricing (rarely any unofficial dual pricing either)

The presidential palace practices official dual pricing.

[LongTimeLurker]

On 7/11/2016 at 9:28 PM, Tony125 said:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anthony-papa/end-the-drug-war-phipresi_b_10889944.html WORLDPOST

End the Drug War: Philippines President Duterte Says Kill All Drug Dealers

President Rodrigo Duterte, the new leader of the Philippines is out of his mind. His method in solving the drug war is simple, curb demand and supply by killing off drug dealers. What if he continues his madness and wipes out thousands of suspected dealers and suddenly illegal drugs disappear from the streets of that country?

 

Copying the methods of a previous Thai PM !!

[hagler]

10 minutes in Tondo and you'll know about things getting real.

 

Abject shitehole of a country inhabited by the dumbest locals  in Asia whose culinary expertise has reached the heights of cooking intestines on charcoal. 

 

Dont go.

 

And this is from one poor soul who has been going in and out every 3 weeks for the last 5 years.

 

10 months to go ......

[zorro1]

That's an unfair and sweeping statement. I started the thread by stating about a friend who had returned from there and gave his assessment on the place and he is well travelled around Asia.
We have heard from guys who have lived there for substantial amounts of time and some who have Filipina wives. You cannot say they are all wrong just because their experiences and knowledge differs from yours.

It's a dangerous shit hole and with that lunatic new leader should be avoided at all costs.
Thailand is Disneyland compared to PI

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

[Catoni]

On 2016-01-07 at 9:22 PM, Scouse123 said:

Guys,

I really don't want to get into a pissing contest on a country I have never been to, but this seems to show the Philippines way ahead of Thailand in the murder stakes.

It is 2012 survey and I am unsure of all the data.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

  Philippines murder rate... about what... more than two and a half times that of Thailand ? ?     Looks like it is....  

[McMacao]

On 1/12/2016 at 12:48 AM, LC 100 said:

Seems the Pinay girls mostly can't get out of the PI fast enough, given the chance - especially if they have kids already. They want something better for their kids.

 

Thai girls on the whole though seem less keen to repatriate to a foreign country. Some do, but of the 4 that I know that attempted it, 3 were bitterly miserable and came back to Thailand again.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, agree with that, Thai's don't seem to travel as well as the Filipinas...

 

I do wonder if that is a reflection on how enjoyable it is to live in each country.  Filipinos KNOW there are much better places out there, and compared to the Philippines, it's true.  Thailand, I'd prefer it to most places myself.

 

That being said, The Philippines does have a lot of great places, but they are better for visiting and tourists, rather than living.  I.E. the islands are amazing!  But, I can't stay on an island more than a few days without feeling bored out of my mind. I need to live in a city, and few Philippines cities are walkable - due to the riffraff and stresses of the people you might encounter, when you are walking up and down the streets.  The Philippines makes a person search out malls, which is the last place I'd want to be, in any other country.

[McMacao]

On 2/15/2016 at 7:10 PM, balo said:

What about the food , can you have a decent western meal in Manila ? And priced under 300 baht ?

Yes, you can.  I pretty much only ate 'other' food in the Philippines.  Well, I like Korean and Vietnamese cuisine a lot, and I could always find it.  I also liked that the Philippines has a ton of American fastfood - i.e. Taco Bell, Wendy's, Sbarros, etc.

[McMacao]

On 6/27/2016 at 7:21 AM, balo said:

In Thailand I can walk alone at night most places, I would never dare to do the same in Phills alone without locals with me.

As a person who has spent a lot more time in the Philippines (maybe 15-20 trips) compared to Thailand (5 trips).

 

That's one of the big shockers for me every time in Thailand.  I am just comfortable absolutely everywhere in Thailand.  The Philippines brings out your super-spidey senses all the time.  I never had any issues in the Philippines, but you can just feel the need to watch your surroundings at all times.  (Actually I've never had any trouble, I should say, I have had tons of the uncomfortable stuff though - i.e. incidents of people following, or having to shake someone, etc.)

Edited January 3, 2018 by McMacao

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[AlexRRR]

On 1/8/2016 at 1:05 PM, neitmoj said:

Why? Delightful people. Warm welcome everywhere. None of the surliness so common in Thailand these days. Easy communication in English. Wonderful scenery. Gorgeous beaches. Low prices. Why not? Scruffy cities. Boring, unhealthy food. Above all, skip Manila. Worst city in SE Asia by far. Fly into Angeles/Clark (CRK) from KL, Singapore, or HK if you can and start from there. On the armed security guards everywhere, I admit it's off-putting at first. But the profession is a job-creation scheme. Most of them are too mild to shoot rabbits. The murder rate by gunshot is far lower than in Thailand.

 

Yes well its an old post but.....Phillipines leave Thailand for dead in a few areas, food is cheaper, much more lush in greenery, better outside of Manila by a mile, women are even easier, visa hahaha kills Thailand dead....in my 3 trips there have to say the weather is way better but i have not experienced any hurricanes...getting back to the women most there seem to have a better idea about what is meant to be a wife/live in lover, my experience with educated Thai women means i do all the work as they wont...Filipinos are a natural in the house, anyway....Thai in general are better looking but dont you worry there are plenty of honeys there...

 

As for security yes i found myself off the beaten track a few times but that was in Manila....did not feel anything like that in the other parts the country....

[Destiny1990]

Frankly speaking its mine favorite country in Asia. Easy visas, excellent English, stunning beaches and ladies.