Is the Philippines a Dangerous Place?

[MikeSwede]

12 hours ago, virginprune said:

I have always lived by the adage "if your number's on the ticket"

This speaks to & for me. And until that number comes up, I do my best to do my best, enjoying the world as it moves around.

This morning I woke up with a notion:

Philippines is not dangerous; it is a teenager trying its limits while growing up, every day a new mood and a new love, a new hero and a new hate object.

I am slowly falling into a weird love with the nuttyness of it all.

[davewe]

At the risk of getting hammered again I have had one other thought regarding the issue of danger/safety in the Philippines. I can't prove it but I think that most of us are risk takers. I have met several guys from this forum, from other forums, and expats in general living in the Philippines and other 3rd world countries, and in my view most are risk takers. I guess this includes me. Every time I tell people the story of being in Kenya, 12 feet away from a roaring male lion and being completely enthralled - well friends look at me with envy, as well as a look that says 'he's freaking crazy.' I don't think I'm crazy - I wouldn't trade that experience for anything, but I guess it's why someone might question my sanity.

So if I am right and most of us are risk takers, then the way we view danger or safety is different than the norm.

OTOH if a guy came to the Philippines just for a girl or the cheaper cost of living, maybe he's more risk adverse - and for good reasons. And no, I'm not trying to measure the size of everyone's balls  - just stating what seems obvious to me.

Well, it's only a theory but I'm sticking to it.

Edited July 2, 2016 by davewe

[OnMyWay]

3 hours ago, davewe said:

At the risk of getting hammered again I have had one other thought regarding the issue of danger/safety in the Philippines. I can't prove it but I think that most of us are risk takers. I have met several guys from this forum, from other forums, and expats in general living in the Philippines and other 3rd world countries, and in my view most are risk takers. I guess this includes me. Every time I tell people the story of being in Kenya, 12 feet away from a roaring male lion and being completely enthralled - well friends look at me with envy, as well as a look that says 'he's freaking crazy.' I don't think I'm crazy - I wouldn't trade that experience for anything, but I guess it's why someone might question my sanity.

So if I am right and most of us are risk takers, then the way we view danger or safety is different than the norm.

OTOH if a guy came to the Philippines just for a girl or the cheaper cost of living, maybe he's more risk adverse - and for good reasons. And no, I'm not trying to measure the size of everyone's balls  - just stating what seems obvious to me.

Well, it's only a theory but I'm sticking to it.

Dave, by coincidence I was going to start a new topic somewhat along the same lines.

[scott h]

3 hours ago, davewe said:

I think that most of us are risk takers.

I will buy into this also Dave. I would prefer to adjust it to "calculating, adventurous and self assured".

A lot of us are willing and even eager to leave the security and known quality of our home countries. But at the same time have the wisdom and common sense to avoid overtly dangerous situations.

Now if we are distracted by looking at our significant other and step in front of a Jeepney, or get struck by lightning, well that can happen anywhere.

Bottom line is, living with the unknown where you adrenalin is always slightly elevated because a person is in area strange to him, whelp, that life is not for everyone.

[davewe]

55 minutes ago, scott h said:

I will buy into this also Dave. I would prefer to adjust it to "calculating, adventurous and self assured".

A lot of us are willing and even eager to leave the security and known quality of our home countries. But at the same time have the wisdom and common sense to avoid overtly dangerous situations.

Now if we are distracted by looking at our significant other and step in front of a Jeepney, or get struck by lightning, well that can happen anywhere.

Bottom line is, living with the unknown where you adrenalin is always slightly elevated because a person is in area strange to him, whelp, that life is not for everyone.

Totally agree Scott and you said it better then me!

[OnMyWay]

23 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Dave, by coincidence I was going to start a new topic somewhat along the same lines.

But I will just say it here.  There is risk taking that Dave and Scott describe.  Going abroad, leaving friends and family, etc.  Just plain adventurous.  You see that that in many of our members and they have lived all over the world.  I have friends back home that still live within a few miles of the house they grew up in and have never left the country!

Then there is risky behavior that is often described.  Drugs, heavy drinking, gambling, bargirls, cheating on your wife, owning certain types of businesses, etc..  All of these contribute to more danger for a person.  Thus, if you are part of that Philippines expat culture, the Philippines can be a very dangerous place.

Then there are the misfits, of several different types.  They don't fit in where they are at home or elsewhere.  I probably fall into one of those sub-groups:

Political misfits, social misfits, mental misfits, physical misfits, etc.

Some of these will have trouble fitting in where ever they are.  Some can't stand any type of authority and they come seeking freedom from whatever shackles them at home.  We have a lot of hard core bikers around Angeles and Subic.  I'll put them into this group.

Overall, my point is, as Dave said, risk takers of all types are going to get into situations that might be dangerous.  So you might extrapolate that Philippine expats are going to end up in dangerous incidents on an above average basis.

When I was young, I partied a lot, drank and drove, did party drugs, and all that kinds of stuff that many of us did back in the 80's.  I was young and invincible.  And dumb.  If you do that stuff in the Philippines, you are setting yourself up for trouble.

Now my life is simple, safe and my family is my top priority, not me.

 

[Jack Peterson]

5 hours ago, davewe said:

I don't think I'm crazy -

  A saying I have had for Years. We will all still do what we can to keep them Safe and that at times needs Risks to be taken Cos in the End our kid's are the Next Generation  

[Sander Martin]

I'm more worried about killing someone here, then being killed. I feel like murdering people everytime i go to the supermarket here and wait 30minutes in line because it takes them ages to serve the 4 persons in front of me and then just before its my turn, they start to count the money they have in the cash register....

One day at a time ???.

[FortuneFavorsTheBold]

On 7/2/2016 at 5:05 AM, Larry45 said:

I've posted several times that I'm on the way out.  I would prefer to stay, if the country was headed in a different direction.  It really makes me sad to see otherwise intelligent expats completely disregarding the dangers here, and perpetuating that delusional nonsense to other potential newcomers.  How anyone can positively spin the news lately is beyond me.  Communists are now allowed to kill anyone they deem as a drug addict?  I really cannot converse with a forum that doesn't see the extreme danger in that.  Good luck to you all...   

Larry45 ~ Yes, you bring up some issues that people have no control over, and are not aware of. My partner was partners with FM before the CIA took him out of power. DU30 was just an unknown cabinet member at the time. This is why DU30 is so close to BongBong. Anyway, most people know that FM ran the Country under Martial Law. To try to be brief, Martial Law is being implemented in parts of the Country as we speak, and the history and people involved speak for themselves, so we will see where it goes. 

Edited July 3, 2016 by FortuneFavorsTheBold
Spelling error.

[Jake]

Is it easier to frown rather than to smile?  Are we happier or more in control when we rock the boat?  What do we usually bitch and moan about when we have a few?  Are we a doom and gloom type of guy and believe that everything is beyond our control for the rest of our miserable life?  Are we happier with hanging out with like minded characters of negativity?

Those are some of the soul searching questions about living in the states or any western culture, never mind about living in the Philippines.  But of course living in a strange land and culture is more difficult, even next to impossible if we refuse to adjust and take some healthy risk.  

On the positive outlook on life (anywhere), why can't we look at it as glass half full? Why can't we learn to adapt and adjust our tolerance level, like me -- my glass is always refillable....he, he.

During one of many abandon ship drills, a young sailor ask me where is the nearest friendly land? As their chief in charge of a 20 man life raft, I said it's no big deal, just a mile away -- straight down.  Technically, it was Australia about 1500 miles and the natives are semi-friendly....he, he.

Whatever happens, I would like to go out with a bang with a chit-eaten grin.  I don't want to frown for the rest of my life -- it's like dying early.

Pour me a full glass please.......

 

Edited July 3, 2016 by Jake
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