Wife tells me dangerous time for foreigners in Philippines due to New president

I took travel insurance when I went to Davao - I can't remember the company, but they confirmed the insurance would be valid despite the fact Davao was in a yellow zone. However, that would just cover medical/lost property etc. If I was affected by a terrorist act, my insurance would not cover it.

Davao felt safe enough to me when I was there, and I saw plenty of Westerners walking around unaccompanied.

I haven't read anything about there being an anti-foreigner sentiment, nor have I heard about foreigners being targetted and attacked. I would expect to read such things on the FCO website.

Foreigners are most unlikely to be attacked for being foreigners - they are quite likely to be robbed for being rich, though!

The danger is rather the danger of being caught doing something silly and "made an example of". This might not be the best time to carry on an affair with a married lady or to be careless with taxes or visa extensions. I see a Yank got pulled in in Subic because he was on a motorbike with a couple of young ladies, possibly of negotiable affection, one of whom was found to be in possession of a sachet of "shabu".

Ah, ok. Yes, I agree with that. Just don't do anything silly, and if you are traveling to meet someone for the first time be cautious.

It is possible you could still be insured as long as claims have nothing to do with what the FCO is warning against, I had the same issue a few weeks back when I was asked to go and do some work in Burkina Faso, I was there last year but since my visit the FCO have warned about travelling there. The hotel I stopped in on my last visit there was blown up and 10 westerners were picked out and shot by terrorist, the terrorist had checked in as guests. I did end up going but I wouldn't have if I had read the reply from my insurance properly as they could not guarantee me medical cover 100%

Below is the reply I received from my insurance agent when asking about travelling to areas where the UK Government had advised against travelling too.

Note: you should always get a written response from insurance companies relating to cover as back-up for if there are ever any claim issues relating to this subject.

Hi,
Technically you would not be covered, as they do not diffentiate between "all travel to" and "all but essential travel to".
The policy wording states :
"You are not covered under any section of your policy if you are travelling against the advice or recommendations published by the FCO applicable at the time of your departure".
You would certainly not be covered for claims that are directly or indirectly to whatever circumstances are giving rise to the FCO advice.
It is my belief (though the policy wording does NOT state this) that you would be covered for claims which are in no way connected to or affected by the circumstances giving rise to FCO advice, but I could not guarantee this.

Wow!

Were you hiding beneath your bed, or calmly sitting at the hotel bar knocking back a few beers?

When you're stopping in a country that's a little dodgy you should always make an escape plan for the hotel you're in, unfortunately if I'd have been in the hotel at the time of the shooting/bombing I would have been knackered as you can see from the attached picture, or maybe I could have jumped from the window and crawled away

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...arket-tourist-hotel-capital-Burkina-Faso.html

There are two times in the year that foreigners in Davao are at any risk of becoming victims: Kadayawan Festival in August and around a 6 week period over Christmas and New Year. At those times, the city acts as a magnet to vagrants from the very poor mountainous regions of Muslim Mindanao who come seeking money. Most are intercepted and turned-away by road blocks but inevitably some do get through. But I would rate the risks of being a victim at these times as no higher than being a victim of crime in Metro Manila. For the remaining periods of the year, Davao is far safer for foreigners and regularly tops the charts as being the world's safest city. It is certainly the country's.

This is not accurate. Davao has never been recognized as being the safest city in the world as far as I am aware.

I found the below article (1) interesting when I searched to find references to back up that rather startling claim.

1. http://www.wheninmanila.com/read-wh...ity-as-one-of-the-safest-cities-in-the-world/

And then I found this article (2) which didn't mention Davao either.

2. http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/these-are-the-10-safest-cities-in-the-world--lJR0wZ8sse

The article uses data from the IEU safe cities index here (3):

3. http://safecities.economist.com/whitepapers/safe-cities-index-white-paper/

Davao is not mentioned in that.

The only information I could find on Davao ranking globally (moving to 'fifth') comes from the Philippine press which quotes a Numbeo.com survey of doubtful reliability.

Digging further, it appears that the ranking on Numbeo.com comes from less than 500 submissions, all self elected. This is the same survey (and the only figures) that Duterte uses to justify his frankly outlandish claims which is then re-reported by the press: (4)

4. http://globalnation.inquirer.net/12...ves-to-5th-in-ranking-of-worlds-safest-cities

The problem with this approach has been picked up in the press in the article below (5) which quite rightly points out that the claim is misleading and manipulative. I do not find that last very difficult to believe.

5. http://politics.com.ph/is-davao-cit...g-winnie-who-claims-numbers-were-manipulated/

Are you able you provide an alternative, reliable, internationally recognized reference? I would love it if the Philippines had such a feather in it's cap, but I feel that it needs to be remembered that it takes rather more for a city to be recognized as 'the world's safest' than having it's mayor or his lackeys repeatedly tell us that it is.

Yap

I also haven't heard of any foreigners being murdered recently. Seems we have a lot of armchair experts on what is actually happening here in the Philippines.
Spent last Sunday at a christening in one of the poorest parts of Tondo and, as usual i was treated very well by the locals.

Just because you wandered through a burning building and didn't get killed, doesn't mean that doing so is automatically 'safe'. Try living in Tondo for a month, getting drunk and wandering round after dark a few times, and let's see how you feel about that place then.

Tondo is a slum with the highest crime rate in Manila and although you were treated well by the locals on this occasion, that doesn't make it a safe place. Divisoria is sort of safe during the day but still hardly 'safe'.

You are talking nonsense. Armchair experts? No. People with common sense.

I stayed in Tondo and Caloocan city in the late 80's for around 6 months. Yes, it was a **** hole then and still is today, however the people have always been hospitable. Maybe one day you should try touring/staying in a impoverished area, and get a lot more out of a 'holiday' to a crazy country than you are going to get in your well-off sanitized world.

Foreigners do get murdered, from time to time, usually because of affairs of the heart and /or theft, and one of the expat boards keeps a running tally, as I am sure you know. I personally know the father of a young merchant navy officer who was murdered by the husband of his girlfriend, who had passed her husband off as her "brother". My friend is not remotely anti-Filipino.

Where we will agree is that foreigners with names of more than one syllable are not getting shot in Duterte's "war on drugs". Nor do I expect them to be.

I stayed in Tondo for a few months when I was much younger... Learned a lot..Not only a good time but a good education..
Filipino`s are basically the same...Treat them with respect and you wont go far wrong..

"My well-off sanitized world" ?

You seem to be making assumptions. I have worked in Tanzania. I have worked and spent time in a great many countries. I have done charity work. With respect, I really really don't need your advice on how to broaden my horizons with respect to the poor.

I am pointing out that although you have visited Tondo and had no problems, that doesn't mean that the area is a safe one. The graveyards of the world bear mute testament to naïve idiots who wandered around the slums of Calcutta, Bogota, Rio or Manila with exactly the same silly attitude that if I don't harm anyone no-one will harm me. Anyone who spouts that nonsense hasn't experienced the sharp end of the criminal world.

When I mentioned this chat to @BlueberryCheeseCake she mentioned that she's been robbed in Tondo and wouldn't dream of going there alone or indeed at all.

PS. I'm sorry Andrew - I edited my prior post to read "parts of Fairview". I'll have to ask cheesecake if I'm remembering the district correctly.

Seriously, I've been telling my fiancé to hurry up and save me from here. I also fear for my life.
There were few cases where foreigners were arrested for a crime they didn't really commit. Admit it, a lot of Filipinos scam foreigners (which I am very mad about). It is easy for them to plant evidence on you so they can easily get money when you "bribe" them. There are far worse things than tanim bala. So to anyone who comes here, just be triple extra careful and be vigilant. Do not dress up like a millionaire. And say no to any offers! If you need a bodyguard, contact me. Uhmmm, no, that's not an offer. haha

@ChoiAndJohn is right. Nobody would harm me because they can get nothing from me.

Never though of hiring you as a body guard, but if I did I think my fiancé would kill me

So come on @Markham. I'm still waiting for the references about Davao being the safest city in the world.

....Or possibly hers!

And once killed, next to the corpse is a sign "PUSHER, WAG TULARAN".

Alas, all too likely.

KO-KO

As some day it may happen that a victim must be found,
I've got a little list — I've got a little list
Of society offenders who might well be underground,
And who never would be missed — who never would be missed!
There's the pestilential nuisances who write for autographs —
All people who have flabby hands and irritating laughs —
All children who are up in dates, and floor you with 'em flat —
All persons who in shaking hands, shake hands with you like that —
And all third persons who on spoiling tête-á-têtes insist —
They'd none of 'em be missed — they'd none of 'em be missed!

CHORUS

He's got 'em on the list — he's got 'em on the list;
And they'll none of 'em be missed — they'll none of 'em be missed.

KO-KO

There's the tuneless serenader[, and the others of his race,
And the piano-organist — I've got him on the list!
And the people who eat peppermint and puff it in your face,
They never would be missed — they never would be missed!
Then the idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone,
All centuries but this, and every country but his own;
And the lady from the provinces, who dresses like a guy,
And who "doesn't think she dances, but would rather like to try";
And that singular anomaly, the lady novelist[2] —
I don't think she'd be missed — I'm sure she'd not be missed!

CHORUS

He's got her on the list — he's got her on the list;
And I don't think she'll be missed — I'm sure she'll not be missed!

KO-KO

And that Nisi Prius nuisance, who just now is rather rife,
The Judicial humorist — I've got him on the list!
All funny fellows, comic men, and clowns of private life —
They'd none of 'em be missed — they'd none of 'em be missed.
And apologetic statesmen of a compromising kind,
Such as — What d'ye call him — Thing'em-bob, and likewise — Never-mind,
And 'St— 'st— 'st— and What's-his-name, and also You-know-who —
The task of filling up the blanks I'd rather leave to you.
But it really doesn't matter whom you put upon the list,
For they'd none of 'em be missed — they'd none of 'em be missed!

CHORUS

You may put 'em on the list — you may put 'em on the list;
And they'll none of 'em be missed — they'll none of 'em be missed!

[Exeunt CHORUS]