Have times changed for you

[Jack Peterson]

 Good Topic Steve, For me, little has changed in the 10 years I have been here in Southern Negros, mainly because there was little problem to change, We suffer the same Law stupidity as other places but not the problems suffered in other places (So we are told) Dumaguete has an understanding  tolerance of a Religion that seems to be in the news a lot causing problems, it is not apparent here and in the main, Our City members of that Division of Religion are mainly law Abiding and carry out their daily life as we Do, Unhindered. Not to dwell on this but I feel good to mention. My Daughter tells us that they have 6 ( Muslim Teenagers) in her Senior High and all are good Students, Honest, Hard working for their K12 programme. Standing and Singing the Anthem with all other Students when asked to.

She went on to say that they mix well with everyone & mainly only get together  (The 6) at prayer time and Meal times. I know we can all shout the Odds on issues that concern these people and I for one get appalled at things that happen BUT these things are not happening in our Area and as long as the Island Government are as Vigilant as they say we should be, It may stay that way.

So my friends I have (as someone already said) never felt unsafe so things have not changed.

Then I have always tried "Not to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time, saying the wrong things to the wrong people"

Muggings & such are happening all over the World so here in the PI it is no Different, Most of us are Low key yet want to be known in your own Local, This is a good thing to me,

You could of course go on for a long time on this but in the main Steve, Not a lot (If anything) has changed OH! OH! did I mention that  went up 1 peso a bottle last month That was a Change I could have done without

 

Jack

Morning All

[virginprune]

The biggest change for me is the price of tea! I get my ID checked when I travel outside of Marbel now but that is only usually for immigration visits to Gensan.

[Snowy79]

My biggest change is I no longer shout at the television when I see some lying politician or libtard defending the undefendable. I don't have to put up with people being offended because I think their gender neutral or binary fluid label is a crock of sh@@. No more worries about not being politically correct or putting up with bad weather. No unemployed crying because their human rights have been violated as the Government has cut their benefits to just under £26,000 per year.

I now live on a beautiful island with hard working locals, sure some like the Red Horse too much but as has been said just keep out of the way. I smile when I see a job advertisement that actually says the type of person they are looking for and don't bother applying if you don't fit the mould. A President that if you don't do your job you're out on your butt and no lawyer chasing tax payers money defending you. Real issues like drugs and terrorism attacked with full force regardless whose feeling get hurt.

So in short for me things have been a big improvement. Sure there's risks and challenges but every 24hr period is now mine to organise and do as I wish. I'm no longer a wage slave and can pretty much decide what I want to do and when I want to do it. I couldn't have that freedom in the UK.

[Queenie O.]

Steve, as far as being a foreigner living permanently here in Cebu, I think that as long as you don't break any laws and try to be a good neighbor or resident here, you're pretty safe.

 I feel that in our town and my husband's old home town nearby, the more attention to fighting the war on drugs has made life safer and more livable for local law abiding citizens. Even up to a year ago, there were drug transactions and local drug related crimes going on in our area right out in the open, and those activities have really been scaled back. Local criminals are more cautious or hesitant about their activities, and local townspeople I think feel more empowered to report any drug use and drug related crimes among their fellow townspeople and even local politicians. Maybe in turn that makes me as a foreigner a little safer too.

There are no guarantees that anyone local or foreigner could not be affected by terrorism or potential attacks, but I don't feel any imminent threat on a daily basis. I actually feel safer living here than my family and friends presently living in the US and abroad.

Sadly, the folks living in some areas of Mindanao have felt disenfranchised for many years, and that has and continues to make them easier targets for terrorist groups to take advantage of them.  I've never visited anywhere in Mindanao, and I'm sure that many foreigners living there feel safe and accepted in their towns. I personally would not choose to make Mindanao my home, just for the extra potential for danger in my assessment. 

[Gratefuled]

11 minutes ago, Queenie O. said:

I personally would not choose to make Mindanao my home, just for the extra potential for danger in my assessment. 

I can think of many other places in the Philippines that I would choose to live if I had choice. 

Here in Davao, one just goes on about their daily lives and hope no "brownouts"  or "water outs"  and if they occur, hopefully not for very long.

I think the biggest concern is that no bomb is set off near them when they are out and about. 

Crime goes on as usual but no NPA threat,,,, yet.

No insurgents either,,,,  yet.

I'm going to go watch Wimbledon now, C-YA

[stevewool]

12 hours ago, mogo51 said:

Why would a war on drugs worry you, if you don't get involved in drugs?  Whilst I am not there yet, will be in a very short time.  

Nor do I live in Marawi, so that does not affect me either.  Just hoping DU30 gets just as tough on the insurgents as the drug dealer, if not more so.  

I see it as a shining light that there is finally an elected leader who is doing just that - leading.

Lots of things worry me that I am not involved it, 

It's good to be concerned about these things and knowing where not to go too, 

[stevewool]

12 hours ago, sonjack2847 said:

Here they don`t pussyfoot around with foreigners who want to change the laws. fit in or f off.I feel safer here and have had less crime committed against me or mine here than I did in England.So yes times have changed and for the better.If you believe everything you read on the news you must be mad.UK has issued a warning about travel for over here but no travel warning for London.They are starting to catch some big time drug dealers can the same be said for the UK.If you keep putting excuses in the way you will never do anything.

I would not call it excuses, but concerned is a better word.

Asking for other people's thoughts on living here or here and about potential problems surely is better then jumping in with both feet only to be told ,you should of asked us first we would have told you it's bad.

Plus asking these questions does get my thread count up and like count sometimes.

[expatuk2014]

Been here in Los Banos since 2011 no problems, i am well known in the local Robinsons

All the Tricycle drivers know where we live and they dont try and rip us off

All our neighbours are cousins,second cousins,aunts etc.so feel very safe

The only problem we have are the young kids ringing the door bell and running off.

We now have a new cctv setup with one camera facing the front gate and the road.

As our house is at the back of the compound it saves us running down the stairs to 

Get to the gate and as the camera was pointed out to the kids no more knock down ginger 

[davewe]

3 hours ago, stevewool said:

I would not call it excuses, but concerned is a better word.

Asking for other people's thoughts on living here or here and about potential problems surely is better then jumping in with both feet only to be told ,you should of asked us first we would have told you it's bad.

Plus asking these questions does get my thread count up and like count sometimes.

Hi Steve. I can really empathize (this time) with your question. We are less than a month away from the big move. For years none of my friends or relatives knew or cared a damn thing about the Philippines, other than that's the place Dave goes on vacation and eventually that's the place he found his wife (they probably said worse).

But now with CNN and all the reporting on Du30, ISIS, etc. I get constant questions. I can tell my sister is worried. She looked up how close Dumaguete is to Marawi and panicked a bit. I told her not to worry; I'm more likely to get killed in a trike than by ISIS; somehow that didn't reduce her fears. Yesterday her partner messaged me about the earthquake in Leyte and was I going to be living close to that area.

So take the media with a grain of salt. Their job is to scare you. Don't let them. 

As for me? Momma - I'm coming home!

Edited July 7, 2017 by davewe

[Kuya John]

Just add my two cent's Steve, can't spell two penni'th

The only change I have seen in 16 years visiting Philippines is the value of the Pound go down and prices rise slightly!

As stated there are other choices far away from Mindanao, but I think you will agree that the UK has it's own problems

which won't be resolved for quite sometime.

Now might just be the right time to consider EVR and GO FOR IT!