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gatorchick82
Joined: 24 Oct 2006
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:35 am Post subject: Safety in the Philippines |
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| Has anyone had any bad experiences concerning safety in the Philippines? A couple friends and I are thinking of going to Manila and then to Cebu or another beachy area. Thanks. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:04 pm Post subject: Re: Safety in the Philippines |
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| gatorchick82 wrote: |
| Has anyone had any bad experiences concerning safety in the Philippines? A couple friends and I are thinking of going to Manila and then to Cebu or another beachy area. Thanks. |
Use common street smarts in the cities, don't flash large sums of cash, use metered taxis (with the meter running) for your travel, carry lots of SMALL notes of local currency, use the money changers in the malls, and you will be fine.
I am not fond of Manila but I love the Visayas (central Philippines) and Cebu is always fun. Boracay and Bohol are also a great beachy places to spend a few days too. |
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Matman
Joined: 02 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Avoid metred taxis in Manila. Do like the locals and use the Jeepneys. |
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IlIlNine
Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Location: Gunpo, Gyonggi, SoKo
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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Watch your pockets though!
I've been to the Philippines a few times and I've never had a problem. |
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traxxe
Joined: 21 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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Taxi safety and watch for scams.
I just got back from a 10 day trip not too long ago. I was attempted to be scammed a couple of times. I let one guy succeed.
He came up to me to shake my hand. I wouldn't shake his hand. I was at a mall about a mile from my hotel. He then pipes up he works security at my hotel. He's here getting his son some ice cream for his birthday. I know this is a scam. So I ask, "What hotel am I staying at?" He answer the correct hotel. Crap. Either he followed me here with my girl from there or he works there and I don't want to take a chance with my laptop, etc.
I gave him 200 pesos. He asked for 500. I told him I would beat the shit out of him before I gave him that many. I immediately went back to the hotel, I took a camera picture of him when I was leaving on my phone. He didn't work there but they printed the photo and said someone had been doing this to a couple of guests there. They gave the photo to the security guard and told me if they saw him while I was there trying to hit up more guests I could watch him get the shit kicked out him.
I just checked out and switched hotels just in case. It was worth 200 pesos just in case the fucker was security and the place was ransoming my security.
***
One taxi I got into had a meter. He wouldn't turn his meter on and then just started driving. He told me he would charge me fifty pesos to get to the Mall of Asia. About right, then he started slowing down and turned onto a side rode. I wrapped my keys in my knuckles and he declared he was going to puts some gas in. A truck rolled up behind us with curtains covered the front windows. Crap, about to get jacked. I told the guy I was an American Police Officer and that I had just texted his plate number to my friend. If anything would happen they would notify the Manila police. He sped out of the alley and let me out, the truck backed up and went away. He never asked for a fair or anything.
I got another cab.
Always take metered cabs. |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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| traxxe wrote: |
Taxi safety and watch for scams.
I just got back from a 10 day trip not too long ago. I was attempted to be scammed a couple of times. I let one guy succeed.
He came up to me to shake my hand. I wouldn't shake his hand. I was at a mall about a mile from my hotel. He then pipes up he works security at my hotel. He's here getting his son some ice cream for his birthday. I know this is a scam. So I ask, "What hotel am I staying at?" He answer the correct hotel. Crap. Either he followed me here with my girl from there or he works there and I don't want to take a chance with my laptop, etc.
I gave him 200 pesos. He asked for 500. I told him I would beat the *beep* out of him before I gave him that many. I immediately went back to the hotel, I took a camera picture of him when I was leaving on my phone. He didn't work there but they printed the photo and said someone had been doing this to a couple of guests there. They gave the photo to the security guard and told me if they saw him while I was there trying to hit up more guests I could watch him get the *beep* kicked out him.
I just checked out and switched hotels just in case. It was worth 200 pesos just in case the *beep* was security and the place was ransoming my security. |
Why did you give him 200 pesos? It seems to me like you just gave him 200 pesos for no reason. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: Safety in the Philippines |
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| gatorchick82 wrote: |
| Has anyone had any bad experiences concerning safety in the Philippines? A couple friends and I are thinking of going to Manila and then to Cebu or another beachy area. Thanks. |
Beach areas always feel really safe. So does Cebu.
It's just Manila that gets shadey and dicey. Most people avoid Manila, just take the first plane out as soon as possible. If you were thinking of Manila for clothing shopping, then I'd recommend almost any other place in the Philippines, as they are all loaded up with the same brand name stores in all the shopping malls all over the Philippines.
There are tourist things to do in Manila, but then again there are tourist things to do almost everywhere else in the Philippines as well, so I'd focus on the non-Manila places! |
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indytrucks
Joined: 09 Apr 2003
Location: The Shelf
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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| ajgeddes wrote: |
| traxxe wrote: |
Taxi safety and watch for scams.
I just got back from a 10 day trip not too long ago. I was attempted to be scammed a couple of times. I let one guy succeed.
He came up to me to shake my hand. I wouldn't shake his hand. I was at a mall about a mile from my hotel. He then pipes up he works security at my hotel. He's here getting his son some ice cream for his birthday. I know this is a scam. So I ask, "What hotel am I staying at?" He answer the correct hotel. Crap. Either he followed me here with my girl from there or he works there and I don't want to take a chance with my laptop, etc.
I gave him 200 pesos. He asked for 500. I told him I would beat the *beep* out of him before I gave him that many. I immediately went back to the hotel, I took a camera picture of him when I was leaving on my phone. He didn't work there but they printed the photo and said someone had been doing this to a couple of guests there. They gave the photo to the security guard and told me if they saw him while I was there trying to hit up more guests I could watch him get the *beep* kicked out him.
I just checked out and switched hotels just in case. It was worth 200 pesos just in case the *beep* was security and the place was ransoming my security. |
Why did you give him 200 pesos? It seems to me like you just gave him 200 pesos for no reason. |
I was thinking the same thing. I don't get it.
If I had to give one safety tip for the Philippines, it would be about taking the bancas, or the longtailed boats, which most of the time is a necessity if you're going to an island or beach. Basically, if the banca looks too full or too old, is ready to sail in bad, bad weather or something just plain doesn't feel right, take another one, or wait for the next one. Ferry and banca sinking are commonplace in the Philippines, and very rarely, if at all, do they provide life jackets. |
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justagirl
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Location: Cheonan/Portland
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:00 am Post subject: |
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Personally, I would NOT ride in a jeepney in Manila--I would take a metered taxi--ask the driver first if he will turn on his meter. If he won't, don't get in.
When you are in smaller cities, there may not be taxis, and then jeepneys are okay--it's just the ones in Manila were very crowded, there wasn't room for luggage, and it didn't look safe--it just didn't feel like a good idea.
My husband and I went to the Philippines twice and the only problem we had was having to leave so soon! If you do go to Manila, stay in Makate, near the Greenbelt. Then head off to someplace with a nice beach and enjoy! |
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Matman
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