Expat Community > Philippines

BertelBertelsen
Joined 2016
Posts: 251

Travel safe in mindanao

8 years ago

A lot of people are afraid of going to Mindanao. Mostly it is because of our government and their warnings. But if you stay outside of the autonomous region ARRM (mostly the western part) than you will find that it is very safe over here. And I come from of the safest countries in the world(Netherlands) but over there I had two holdups , burglary, stabbing and white collar crime incidents. And now almost ten years over here and I have the opposite.
I think one of the keys of travelling safe over here is RESPECT! Of course I see what can be different or better. But I don’t say it. Heck, when an American comes to Netherlands and he doesn’t like it we also say: go back then!. And having lived in America (the great city of San Fransisco) people also did not want to hear how we do it in Netherlands. They just want to hear about the coffee shops and the red light district. And they are right.
Better is it to ask. Why do you do that? Why is this? And sometimes you even help them by saying that because sometimes they have forgotten why they do something. And when there is no background behind something it is easier to change. I see that in Netherlands as well where we are changing a long lasting tradition around Sinterklaas(the original Santa claus).
People all around the world love it when somebody takes an interest in their behavior, place or person. And the Fillipino is one of the most approachable people of the world. They will ask you questions back that we are afraid to ask(like why don’t you have children? Is it not working?). When you have a band people are not likely to con you or rob you.
IF you stay on the cities on the highway there is no problem what so ever. I have been to muslim areas like Digos, Kidapawan, General santos city and it is al so relaxed over there that it is almost boring. Even going out at night is easy and safe. Just don’t do things you would also not do back home (like taking a midnight stroll through the ghetto). I have done this but always with the right people. Like a local contact or a local person with influence.
Don’t walk around like you have money or that you are a tourist. Look how the local foreigners dress themselves. Avoid having your camera on your belly and put money and other places on different parts of your body. I don’t do all of this but the main reason for that is my long stay over here and my good connections.
If you go of the beaten path, then make contact with the local noble like a datu of barangay chief or approach a foreigner that you see over there. Learn a bit of the language and how the responses are so you sound more like somebody that belongs here.
Anybody else some tips?

William Russell

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Travel safe in mindanao

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