Ph Faces Breakdown Of Law, Order – Expert

[MikeB]

All of which can be seen on TV today but not the TV of 50 years ago

A lot of things can be seen on TV today that were not on the TV of 50 years ago, so what? I think movies and TV are light years better myself; music, nah. But I don't watch much TV, it's pretty limited where I am now. Maybe I'm missing some good stuff, huh?

[Bruce]

All of which can be seen on TV today but not the TV of 50 years ago

A lot of things can be seen on TV today that were not on the TV of 50 years ago, so what? I think movies and TV are light years better myself; music, nah. But I don't watch much TV, it's pretty limited where I am now. Maybe I'm missing some good stuff, huh?

From a tech standpoint, TV / movies are much better. but for the content... not really. And those VERY stupid reality shows are just getting dumber and dumber. I have never seen Jersey Shores, but from what I understand they do to the Italian stereotypes the same as Dave Chappel did to black stereotypes. A think Dave was funny and 'spot on' as the queens subjects would say..... but I am also positive that Bill Cosby has a different opinion!The older Bill gets and the further shocking behaviors of what he sees blacks doing to their own culture and soceity, the more frustrated he becomes. And there is NOTHING he can do about it.The Cosby Show was about a married black couple, 1 lawyer 1 ob/gyn doctor with kids that grew up and went to college and off to real jobs. Tried to be a real role model show.... Dave Chappel???? took every whore / prostitute / drug addict / drug pusher / gambeling junkie / rapist / and any other negative stereotype that might have a black person twist and he ramped it up and forced it down the throats of American viewers as comedy! He even took Wayne Brady who up to that time had a very clean image as a talanted singer / performer that Ed Sullivan would have had on this show and put him into a drug using pimp whore smacking foul mouth role and while it was funny, it certainly inforced the negative stereotypes of black men....Give it 5 more years that there will be a Pinoy clone on TV making fun of squatters with no CR or naked kids running in the rain..... History shows that it is very hard to pull back, when the money says go forward.....

[Mr Lee]

Good to see you back my friend!

Hi Steve, I made the post so members can see that it has now even being noticed by many of the locals who have their eyes open. We can all beat to death why it is happening and from what I read above most of you are probably correct, so I will not debate the issue, only say for all to watch their six, and try to enjoy life in the Philippines but with your eyes open and your head not buried in the sand.Crime can most often be prevented when a person is alert and aware of their surroundings and all of those who may be watching them. For instance I often used to use the BPI ATM machine in Ayala Terraces next to the money changer, that was until I saw a local across on the other side taking photos with a long distance lens on his camera, and more than once of those using that machine. Now once might have been a fluke and the guy was just taking photos of people going to the money changer, but a few times on different days was not a fluke and there was no one at the money changer the last two times I saw the guy taking the photos of people at the machine, so just be alert and change your routine and all should be OK, yet how do people in the provinces go to other machines when only one or two may be available to them, so they need to change up the times and dates they go to machines and that might not even help since many of the locals have nothing but time on their hands. Be careful and be aware.

[MikeB]

It's an unfortunate fact of life that crime is everywhere and everyone should use caution, especially when withdrawing money. But if you're going to see bandits on every corner to the point that it's changing your life and you're afraid to leave your apt there isn't any point in coming here.

[FlyAway]

This thread reminds me of an article I just read last night. Long read but very interesting.http://lifestyle.inq...the-philippines Despite everything, this foreigner loves it in the PhilippinesDEAR EMILY,As an avid reader of your column in the Sunday Lifestyle of the Inquirer, I am amazed at how contradictory a society the Philippines is. I am a resident foreigner in this country, and it perturbs me how rife the level of denial and hypocrisy is. Case in point, your latest column, entitled “Amazed at illicit relationships among OFWs.”Why do people have this notion that the Filipino is this God-fearing, value-laden person oblivious to human desires and temptations? This image is such a blatant lie! It would be better for Filipino society to stop hiding under this veil of naiveté and godliness. And hiding behind the guise of poverty is equally not justified at all, given the cases of the drug mules in China, the high corruption index, daily murders, etc.The mind-set of this society should break from the yoke of “miracles,” “godliness” and “culture” because it is a total farce.People here are very individualistic, and the sense of “community” is just a concept to take advantage of politically, economically and socially.The Filipino is just like any other people in the world where there are promiscuous, evil, corrupt and superstitious (in spite of believing in God) elements.As a sociologist, I have noted how this society craves for attention and identity that it would honor a gambler as a sports hero, accord religious rites to a suicide victim (against the Church’s rule on this), disregard the legal existence of sex workers and obstruct efforts to ease cases of HIV and AIDS, yet it accepts the flaunting of barely covered girls on catwalks and tabloids.It relishes gays who are promoted in the popular media, yet there are no activists for gay rights. And what about the companies that hire foreigners with supposedly a drop of Filipino blood, whose parents don’t even identify themselves as Filipinos?I say, wake up and smell the coffee.This society needs a real awakening as it urbanizes and “modernizes.” Otherwise, it is a wonderful place and I love it!D.R.Yes, isn’t that what makes us interesting? I’d like to believe that we are like nobody else—a people who are neither here nor there. Barely Asian anymore—gauging from the clothes, manners and probably desires, and wanting so much to be western—but still shackled by tradition and beliefs that just can’t get away from the national psyche.We’ve been called “shallow,” “great imitators,” “brown Americans” and probably many more names that haven’t drifted our way yet. They are all probably true—but still, I wouldn’t want to be anything but! There’s nowhere else in the world like this place. And no people like us.There are a myriad exceptions to these, as there are no absolutely perfect people anywhere. We have murderers among us, thieves, bigamists, adulterers, scam artists, crooks, mentally challenged, scoundrels, name it, and one of us is probably it. But, so are those in the other four continents! But let it not be said that we don’t have our share of heroes, great and simple, though they’re somehow pretty much relegated to the back of our modern consciousness.Many of us have left and many more are dying to leave! But wherever we go, and whatever we do, we remain what we inherently are—a kind, warm-hearted and generous people. Go anywhere here and abroad, and that intrinsic hospitality comes to the fore. A bed will be given up for you, food will be put on your plate and we will practically adopt you if needed. (Just don’t push your luck in the city!)Many of us who left and vowed never to come back, came back.We complain, we moan. We raise hell and curse this place for the many inefficiencies and inadequacies, perceived and real, and wish we could change them all in a snap. But we settle down and bear it because, despite the lack of whatever it is that is lacking, it’s home. It’s comfortable. The friends you have make time for you and are easy to talk with and understand each other.It’s interesting here. That’s why you love it here.

[ekimswish]

Sorry guys, I think a lot of this is ridiculous.Hmmmm.... Let's look at New York city in the 70's and compare it to New York City today. How about Los Angeles of the 80's and Los Angeles of today? Neither of them are Filipino places, and I wasn't even in or around the places that I'm talking about, but aren't they statistically better cities now than they were then? Even just watch a movie based on 70's or 80's NY / LA and they look decrepit compared to what they look like now. Even in my hometown of Regina, SK, I remember old guys telling me how soft the kids of today are, and when they grew up in the 70's it was a tough-as-nails city, where scraps were more often and more violent. Just catalogging my own life, I can see this progression from violence is cool to problem solving is better. I actually think people are less violent across the board than they used to be, just because our ways of dealing with violence - education and justice system maybe - have slightly improved from 30 years ago.On top of that, if a young punk with too much aggression and energy needs an outlet today, it's not too hard to find an MMA gym to train at instead of scrapping in the streets.I'm talking about things very vaguely here, but let's make it vaguer yet. When were you more likely to kill someone: in today's world, or in the world 1000 years ago? When were you more likely to die fighting in a trench: now or 100 years ago? Too many variables to consider? Who's more likely to kill you: a kid sitting on the sofa watching TV and playing violent video games ten hours a day, smoking pot; or a Filipino bushman without cable or internet, but armed with a bolo knife and only his pride which you might accidentally offend?Is the Philippines experiencing a sudden crime wave because they're suddenly poor and discontent, as the woman in the article says? I doubt it. They've been poor and discontent with corruption and stuff for quite a while now, and crime is probably no worse today than it was in the 80's or 90's. I'm only guessing, but how about this: maybe they're just getting better at reporting and tracking the crime these days? That could actually mean there's less corruption, because the police are getting better (keep it in context) at doing their jobs. So while most of the world is saying how much the Philippines is improving and getting better lately with its new anti-corruption president, and improving economy, suddenly people are feeling the pinch and committing crimes? This is news to me.I feel safer every year in the Philippines, and it looks better every year as well. I'm very hopeful for the future, and while not denying that they STILL HAVE tons of problems, the article is ridiculous, and the discussion on TV is ridiculous. How much TV you think they watched in the gun slinging Wild West? How much do you think TV and internet have influenced now or in the past, the drug cartels of Mexico and Colombia?Gimme a break. Western kids, though possibly more arrogant and obnoxious, are FARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR from the most dangerous in the world, and the Philippines is even farther.

[Bruce]

I think you are (living in the USA) much more likely to bve a victim of a violent crime than in the Philippines. And your chances of offending a rural Philippine bushman with his bolo are much less than your chances of simply waling down the street in LA or NYC and being attacked by a gang.Again, if you look at the downfall of TV / movie and music content in the US / UK and then look at Pinoy TV and see that it is starting to copy the gang themed music and behaviors, in time we will see the Philippines with more and more violent teens.Statistically, how many kids say they want to grow up and work a high paying white collar job today as compared to those saying they want to be a rapper or sports star? Kids learn by watching and imitating behaviors. If they see American ______s calling women whores and grabbing themselves all the time and cursing and threatening to blow up the school and or kill other kids because they are in a drifferent gang..... Expect to see Pinoy kids copying this behaviors.About 20 years ago in Ft. Lauderdale Florida 3-4 YR old girl was beaten TO DEATH by an 11 yr old black girl. The younger girl, copying what she heard other kids say, called the 11 yr old black girl a (n word). And she was beaten to death for it. So the little girl is saying a word she can not understand the meaning of, and the 11 yr old girl is reacting the way her (local) culture expects her to act and is unaware of the true results of her actions. Neither of these things happen over night. It is a steady decline in society and while the Philippines does not have to deal with cultural contrasts like in the US, the Philippines does follow the US / UK with a time lag.I certainly do not expect this crime trend to reverse itself in the Philippines.... well maybe in the Philippine news it might! Joke LANG!

[Mr Lee]

Seems some people may be misinformed about crime in the US verses the Philippines. FBI: U.S. violent crime down in 2011, fewer murders, rapes(Reuters) - Murders, rapes and other violent crimes dropped sharply in the United States in the first six months of 2011, continuing a downward trend that has lasted 4 1/2 years, the FBI reported on Monday.The federal law enforcement agency said preliminary January-through-June figures showed the number of violent crimes declined 6.4 percent from the previous year, led by a 5.7 percent drop in murders and a 5.1 percent decrease in rapes.In other violent crime categories, robberies declined 7.7 percent while aggravated assaults fell 5.9 percent.The FBI's regular statistical report did not give any reasons for the lower crimes nationwide. But the latest numbers provided further evidence of no crime spike coinciding with the tough economic conditions and high unemployment.The report is based on information from more than 12,500 police and other law enforcement agencies across the country.Violent crimes went down about the same amount in all four regions of the country and decreased in big cities, smaller cities and rural areas.Property crimes, such as burglary, larceny, theft and motor vehicle theft, also declined in the first half of the year, with burglaries down 2.2 percent, larceny and theft down 4.0 percent and stolen vehicles down 5.0 percent.The separate arson category declined 8.6 percent in the first six months of the year, the FBI said.

[Mike S]

Wow at that rate in a few years the US will be crime free :23_11_62[1]: ........ I seem to remember a while back someone said the reason that the crimes were so low in the Phils was because they wasn't recording them ..... but I know that wouldn't be the case in the US ....... :hystery: :hystery: :hystery: :hystery: :hystery: .... but wait ... isn't it an election year ...... hummmmm

Edited February 6, 2012 by Mike S

[MikeB]

I seem to remember a while back someone said the reason that the crimes were so low in the Phils was because they wasn't recording them

According to the article, barangay-level crimes are not included in the national crime figures. Statistics can be manipulated in many ways to fit whatever agenda you have.