How safe do I feel living in the Philippines ?

I've been visiting the Philippines for many years. I've lived in squatter areas, high-end subdivisions and plenty in between.

No I haven't always felt at ease.
But I do now.

We live in what is loosely termed a high-end subdivision.
It's a security gated village community. Yes, with high walls all around the village and quite a number of stationed security guards. These guards are also 'roving guards'. Means they ride around the whole village 24/7

No jeepney or tricycle is allowed past the barrier controlled and guarded security gate. Taxi's are allowed in but the driver must exchange their licence for a security pass. No Licence, no pass, no entry.

According to a number of independent reports Davao City is supposedly the safest city in the Philippines and the 4th safest in the world. Whether that's justified or not I'm not really bothered. I can only state that I feel safe.

Living in our gated village community doesn't mean our house/lot has any surrounding walls, fences or steel grills at the doors and windows. That doesn't mean to say we will never do that. We already decided to buy a property here and during the renovations we'll incorporate whatever security measures we believe are needed. We've already planned to install double glazed window units all over and if we feel that security walls, camera's or whatever is needed then that's what we'll do.
It's never out of the question that we would move to another island lock stock and barrel if we believed we needed to. We already have our eye to buying a place outside of Mindanao
Safety and security is always up there on our retirement living priority list.

Of course this kind of secure village lifestyle we enjoy isn't going to suit everyone and living where we do does cost a bit more. Wherever you decide to live comes down to balancing out the positives and the negatives on a cost benefit basis.

I had people tell me that I'm not able to experience what the real Philippines is all about". That I'm not able to peel back the veneer and see what's underneath.
I can say this. I've already been there, read the book, seen the film and got the T-Shirt.
I'm not on holiday, I'm living here in a retirement life. I want the modern lifestyle and village amenities I have now.
I'm lucky I found peace and contentment in my retirement.

We originally planned to 'go native' and we tried living in our beach house, with a view to a complete 'live-in' refurbishment and maybe turn it into a B&B for foreigners on holiday.

We had a lucky escape early on before splashing out oodles of cash
We really just don't like living out in a Barangay

I don't want that chaotic street noise, the loud music, videoke, wandering drug pushers/uses, drunks and groups of unemployed youths either making a nuisance or creating a point of uncertain safety. Don't forget in the Philippines it's allowed to own a gun. Many own more than one and many carry them around permit or not.

Most folks who can afford it put high walls and security gates all around their property. If they can afford to move into a secure subdivision they'll do that too. Now there's a good reason for that IMO.

So do I feel safe ?
Well in all honesty not always.
When we're in our village I do. Probably a little more than where we lived in the UK strangely

On a day-to-day basis outside our community I don't feel as inconspicious or safe as where I lived in UK but not so much that it really worries me.
I'm always aware of my surroundings and always avoid any places that I don't believe I could control

Mind you it's always going to make you feel overcautious when family and friends are always telling you to be careful and don't do this or that or don't go wandering around alone.
Personal observation indicates that there's a degree of mistrust between the haves and the have nots.

I guess I could be criticised for this but I do cycle around alone and I'll walk around the local area and the market alone too.
I often go to the market alone after dark, but there's still plenty of people around.

That's something I wouldn't consider doing back in my UK hometown.

Dont go to places that you think you are not safe. Yes, I completely agreed, that Davao is one of the safest place to live here! Always use your senses and got feeling. And above all, ask God for his unlimited protection and guidance. Happy living!

Unsafe places are exciting,
But leave your wallet in the hotel,
And spread your money around different pockets so that you can pay your bar bill without fumbling with the notes.

Ah! That sounds suspiciously like Royal Pines to me! In which case among your neighbours are Supreme Court judges, a couple of Expats and at least two of the larger hillside houses are owned by scions of the Ampatuan clan. There's a Rolls Royce and at least two armoured Mercedes parked in the garages! Or so I'm told by a Canadian resident.

You may need to go to NCR or Cebu City for those. There's a manufacturer of double-glazing units within a half-mile of Ayala Mall in Cebu. You can't miss the place, there are Union Jacks on the signage and in the windows. The products are manufactured using British designed components; I think it even trades under the "Everest" name but it's been five years since I last saw the place so my memory could be a bit rusty.

Ah well,

After talking about "leaving your wallet in the hotel", and "spreading money around pockets" in my last post (above), I was pickpocketed this afternoon here in Bogota.

Sunday morning was pleasant with the odd hint of blue peeping through the heavy clouds.

I had decided earlier that walking around with an SLR camera was not the best idea here, but I gave way to temptation and stripped all the tags and labels from my computer backpack so that I could carry my camera more discreetly.

I also decided to visit the Citibank ATM to stock up with cash en-route to the centre, I withdrew the maximum 700,000 COP, my wallet contained a total of just under £200 equivalent.

Half a dozen photos later, my camera stashed in the backpack, I was hit on the ear by a glob of foamy gel as I walk through the crowded street, I wipe it off, a woman in a white wooly top is right in front of me, I curse, and walk on.

Five minutes later I spot a street coffee vendor who had previously sold me excellent coffee, I order a coffee, reach for my wallet in the LH front pocket of my 501's and it is gone.

I talk to a few locals who suggest calling the police, there is one just along the street, but no way, that would just complicate things, nothing to be gained, my wallet is lost, my one priority is to return to my apartment so that I can cancel my Citibank Visa card.

Surprised that it was one hour rapid walking back to my apartment, never realised it was so far.

The lady at Citibank was very professional, a new card will be ready when I next visit the UK.

I may have lost £200, but I guess I am lucky, there was obviously a gang working, if I had realised what was happening and grabbed the lady I could well have been knifed.

Really sorry to learn about that Dave, I do know the feeling. It's not nice.
Luckily your and your important stuff are safe.

That's mostly the case.
It's usually better not knowing what's happening when it's happening, especially if, like me, you can be a bit impulsive.

When I was in Philippines once, my wallet was put, as usual, in my then girlfriend's bag.

We were walking along the road when a woman ran up to us and said "Is this yours?" and gave me my wallet. I was a bit surprised, and she just walked off again.

I've still no idea how she came to have it. I do wonder if someone took it out of our bag and she accosted them, or maybe we dropped it. I really don't know and had no time to compose my thoughts and ask how she came to have it.

But I do think the most obvious answer is that she saw someone nick it and took it off them to give it back to us, but I'll never know.

Thanks for sharing Dave what I learned early on in the Fils was to carry a throwaway wallet complete with a dozen low value notes and perhaps some "example cards" the idea being if you are being asked for money at knife point you throw them the wallet on the ground while backing off, when stocking up from an atm I would pick one in a mall close to a food outlet and secrete high value notes in a zip money carrier under my shorts.

I also used currency cards from Caxton not linked to my bank cards but reloadable by phone. With dollar , Sterling and a Euro card even loosing one meant no inconvenience and little potential for loss. I also always wear a multi pocket waistcoat .

In total 2.5 years in Asia never lost a penny to strangers lol

Hi Micawber! Is it OK to ask?do you receive government pension if you live in the Philippines or just the private one?Because my husband just thinking to live in the Philippines once he retired. Thank you.

As oss states, those of us who are UK retirees are very fortunate in that we can not only receive our state pensions easily, but we get all the increases.

Any tax liability on non-government private pensions can easily be offset by relief under a Philippines-UK double taxation agreement.
So this means that, if need be, you can transfer any tax liability from private pensions from UK to the Philippines.
Pensions are currently rated at 0% here in the Philippines.

Depending where you settled down the UK pounds can be very much 'stretched' here.

Thank you oss

Thanks Micawber

Unlucky Dave, at least you were not hurt (you're a long time dead), only your pride

Columbia is a bit of a dodgy place, I had a tool case stolen from between my legs when I was at a check in desk at the airport there. These thieves are very clever in the tactics they use, anyone can be caught out by them for sure. I always walk with my fingers in my pockets over my wallet but as one chap told me in Indonesia, all it takes is to be in a crowd, someone accidentally on purpose stubs a cigarette on your arm and you automatically pull your hand out of your pocket giving a split second for someone to nick your wallet.

In a little while you will not feel bad about, you'll laugh about it in fact, its another tale to tell in the pub Dave

Parting company with your personal belongings is just par for the course when you are traveling around the world.

Last time I was pickpocketed was over ten years ago.

I was attacked by a gang of marauding ladyboys on Sukhumvit road in Bangkok.

As I was pushing them away, one of them somehow managed to get my wallet, took me about 20 seconds to realise my wallet was missing, but by then they had vanished.

They know exactly what they're doing Dave, they have had lots of practice, I've been pickpocketed in Poland and Spain.

They especially target people who have a few drinks on board, as you said its only cash, better than having your credit cards or passport stolen. I know when I've been turned over before it feels like you have been violated, not a good feeling.

Have a few beers you'll be fine

I always felt safe in the Philippines I think like any country in the world you only go to places that you feel safe and if something is off you move on quickly.
I never wear jewelry only a wedding ring and never carried a wallet just the money I needed on that day and a bank card. My house was on its own compound and in the province so a pretty safe place really. This gorilla don't do city's

I totally agree. I always feel safe in Philippines too. I was cautious at my first visit because I didn't know what to expect and what kind of country it is, but right now I seen many proofs that it is a country of a good people. One Canadian b&b owner who was renting ta room for me on the province even told me that not long time ago they had a situation that one of his clients lose the wallet somewhere in the village but when somebody found it he bring the wallet to the b&b owner because he know it must be a wallet of the turist who stopped in b&b in the village. And inside the wallet was 10,000 pesos. Untouched. And for a people from the province 10k is a really big amount of money.