General Info

[QUOTE=WestCoast1;2170450]KG, question: What would you have them do? Post nothing? Many governments post information about travel in other countries (their citizens might consider them remiss if they didn't). Due diligence suggests they post it.[/QUOTE]There are random events happening all over the Philippines, and not all of them are reported.

Last week (April 18) the NPA attacked a barangay outpost in Surigao del Norte. A civilian expat was killed and 2 others injured.

2 weeks ago there was an unreported attack in Butuan (I was advised not to go to CdO for business as a result of that). In February there was another attempted kidnapping of a foreigner in South-eastern Luzon (again, unreported on request of the foreigner). I learned about it from a mutual friend.

The Australian and US warnings cannot hope to cover every corner of the Philippines, so they issue blanket coverage.

Travellers should do their own specific diligence prior to travelling anywhere rather than relying on generalized and non-specific warnings.

[QUOTE=WestCoast1;2170850]Makes sense. Below is from the US Dept of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security's website (OSAC), regarding Philippine crime / safety 2017:

[URL]https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=21253[/URL]

[I]The PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) is primarily responsible for kidnapping investigations.

In 2016, there were 22 reported kidnappings, predominantly of local citizens. Thirteen of these incidents occurred in Mindanao.

AKG officials report that kidnapping incidents in Mindanao are most often perpetrated by Muslim insurgent/terrorist organizations (ASG, MILF, the Lawless MILF Group). Kidnappings remain prevalent in western Mindanao, particularly in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao; on the Zamboanga Peninsula; in the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat; in the Chartered Cities of Zamboanga, General Santos City, Cotabato, Iligan, Cagayan de Oro; and throughout the Sulu Sea. Several militant groups see kidnap-for-ransom as a way to fund their operations, and foreigners are often targeted. .[/I][/QUOTE]I go to Iligan several times a year and there have always been warnings for as long as I can remember. I was there last July when the fighting in Marawi was going on. It's about a 45 minute drive from where I was staying and we'd occasionally hear helicopters overhead and the occasional explosion. There were soldiers everywhere and they were emptying out all vehicles so everyone could walk through the various checkpoints. I went through them twice a day for a week and was only stopped once (must be my lovely fair complexion).

Most of the schools were being used as temporary shelters for the Marawi refugees. It was strange seeing so many head scarfs in the christian schools.

I was back in March this year and it was pretty much back to normal. There were still soldiers around but they were joking with us as we went through the checkpoints. One even asked to take some pictures. Most of the locals I know didn't seem bothered. The only grumbling seemed to be having to allow more time to get through the checkpoints.

I don't recall reading any updates here on the recent brilliant move by the BNP (that's the Phils Treasury) to release new 5 peso and 10 peso coins that are silver in color and virtually indistinguishable from the 1 php coin except for the 1, 5 or 10 inscribed on them.

OK. Nit-pickers will tell me that if you line them up and compare them there are differences but these differences are slight. The new 10 peso is fractionally larger and thinner and the 5 peso is thicker but these differences are only obvious when you compare them.

I said "brilliant" in my opening sentence because I cannot see why anyone would change from the distinctive differences currently existing between the 5 and 10 peso coins.

Why do I mention this? Because I suspect some shrewd shop assistants for whom 3 or 4 pesos means a few texts or calls on a cell phone are set to cash in on this. Twice in the last 3 days I have been offered coins as change instead of notes (sorry Sir for the small change) and instead of receiving 4 x 5 peso new coins I was given 3 x 5 plus a 1 peso coin concealed within. That's an easy 4 peso profit for the shop assistant / lifter.

I am certainly not a cheap charlie but for me it's the principle that counts. The second time it happened to me (different shop) I quickly checked and saw a discrepancy in my change and pointed it out to the assistant.

Ohhh so sorry Sir. It's these new coins. Very confusing sir di ba?

Buyers beware. I contemplate seeing many visitors peering closely at their coins trying to see whether they have a 1, a 5 or a 10 inscribed thereon

[QUOTE=RedKilt;2174794].....

Ohhh so sorry Sir. It's these new coins. Very confusing sir di ba?

....[/QUOTE]See how confusing it really is. Pay for something costing 20 p with 3 x new 5 plus 1 x1. LOL.

[QUOTE=KabulGuy;2174999]See how confusing it really is. Pay for something costing 20 p with 3 x new 5 plus 1 x1. LOL.[/QUOTE]In my world, 2 wrongs don't make a right.

Try this with a filipino and they will be on it quicker than a fly on sh*t.

[QUOTE=RedKilt;2174794]

I am certainly not a cheap charlie but for me it's the principle that counts.[/QUOTE]It's holding the line. It's avoiding the slippery slope. If I let them get away with it now it will embolden them in the future. So many ISG folks ask why we begrudge these poor people the several pesos they try to pry away from us through chicanery or by themselves being cheap charlies. Is it anything more than having self respect, being reasonable, and protecting your interests?

I sometimes get the message from these people that I ought to unload my money as quickly as possible, go back home, and that I should not come back until I get some more. It can make me weary. A while ago I wanted to settle down here. No way. It would be like living in a constant state of siege. I love the place but only in measured doses.

[QUOTE=RedKilt;2175017]In my world, 2 wrongs don't make a right.

Try this with a filipino and they will be on it quicker than a fly on sh*t.[/QUOTE]See the LOL.

Means I was joking.

Yes they will catch on quick meaning that they were not confused when they did it to you, that was the point of my post.

[QUOTE=KabulGuy;2174999]See how confusing it really is. Pay for something costing 20 p with 3 x new 5 plus 1 x1. LOL.[/QUOTE]And I'm sure I will need reading glasses to read the numerical inscription. The only problem is, I don't wear reading glasses in public. I'll continue to give my change to parasites and beggars and let them sort it out.

[QUOTE=SaltyPete;2175848]And I'm sure I will need reading glasses to read the numerical inscription. The only problem is, I don't wear reading glasses in public. I'll continue to give my change to parasites and beggars and let them sort it out.[/QUOTE]Always give my loose change to the beggars as for me is a few coins but for them can be a lot.

For those not familiar with it Lazada is a Philippine based shopping app. Lots of junk on it but sometimes you see something good.

I noticed that they now sell load. It is sold at a 5% discount as well. I bought 1000 p load and it was there in a minute or so and only cost me 950 on my credit card.

It was valid for a year too.

This may be of interest to guys who want to keep their local phone topped up and current while out of the country. You can add as little as 10 p at a cost of 9. 5 p. Not sure how long that extends the validity period but worth a try.

I like it because it was a lot easier than going to the 7-11 and buying a couple of 500 p cards and entering them. (Sorry po 500 not available, would you like 20 50 p cards instead?

[QUOTE=KabulGuy;2176001]For those not familiar with it Lazada is a Philippine based shopping app.[/QUOTE]It is all over SEA, not just PI. I use the website in Thailand. You can get stuff like chargers and dashcams and all kinds of other stuff for less than you get at the cheapest stores in town.

Ah, the impermanence of life, the death of an old friend whom I thought would surely outlive me.

Craigslist has ceased publishing their infamous Personals section. They ceased publishing the section in the USA a month or so ago, but written offers of debauchery of all types continued to appear in Manila, Cebu, Bangkok, Hanoi, and other Asian hotspots.

But when I entered a search for Hanoi yesterday, I found a shuttered window. Its darkness was an insult to the many hours of unexpected delights it served up over the years.

But the winds of Christian morality are blowing strong in the great moralist, Mr. Trump's, kingdom. Seems part of making America great again entails the disassembly of Sensual Encounters which Craigslist so effectively served up over the years.

I'm told by a good friend in Dallas that many other publications which once delivered opportunities to bring punter and performer together have disappeared; summons served, owners jailed.

I had great success over the years in the pages of Craigslist from Cebu to Bogota. RIP, old friend.

[QUOTE=PolyOrchid;2176284]Ah, the impermanence of life, the death of an old friend whom I thought would surely outlive me.

Craigslist has ceased publishing their infamous Personals section.

But the winds of Christian morality are blowing strong

I had great success over the years in the pages of Craigslist from Cebu to Bogota. RIP, old friend.[/QUOTE]How much time remains for DIA, WeChat, and even ISG as it furthers the same interests which which were found to be objectionable in the personals section of Craigslist?

[QUOTE=Pompetus;2176385]How much time remains for DIA, WeChat, and even ISG as it furthers the same interests which which were found to be objectionable in the personals section of Craigslist?[/QUOTE]Oh well, we have Facebook's new Dating App launched this week to fill the gap. "This is going to be for building real, long-term relationships not just hookups," Zuckerberg said. So "hookups" seem to be within his sphere of interest.

[QUOTE=SoapySmith;2170870]But I'm open to considering that this was actually a hologram of a TSA officer and a lab.[/QUOTE]I wasn't challenging your sanity, but rather challenging a certain person who thought he could tell me exactly what went on at customs and immigration when I arrived recently, although he wasn't there. A certain person who has made over 7500 posts but seems unable to learn much about anything.

As for dogs at DFW, I have in fact never seen any kind of LE dog in my 40 years of travel through that place. But, that doesn't mean you didn't see a dog there. It just means that somebody who wasn't there, didn't see one either.