Beggars Go Hi-Tech

[Jollygoodfellow]

On 4/9/2023 at 6:24 AM, mountainside said:

Don't know whether your GF is Pinay, but I've read recent newspaper articles about how, on separate occasions, two Pinay IT Park call center workers were very recently the victims of armed robberies by Pinoys.  Pinoys harassing and robbing Pinays in and near IT Park?  Troubling news, if true.

Yes she's Filipina, call center team leader. I don't know if what you saying is true but could be. Usually, the companies send out alerts to all employees but I have not heard anything. I will ask her when she gets home.

Since I have been here which is over 6 years there have been incidents of robberies in the IT Park and bag snatching so can and does happen. One night I was in the old Shaka restaurant in the outdoor umbrella area where a group of Koreans was sitting, next thing someone came behind them through the bushes and grabbed a bag, and Quickly got into a waiting car and that was that.

Another night a security guard shot dead another security guard in a 7/11 as he was once again late to take over his shift. There was a holdup at an ATM in the park a few years ago and another on the road behind the Teleperformance building. 

A couple of weeks ago the road was closed in front of Ayala IT Park as someone was about 3 floors up thinking of jumping. Came down eventually but about 5 years ago one did jump from another building and died instantly.

But these things happen everywhere but are still generally safe here.

 

[Jollygoodfellow]

22 minutes ago, Doglover said:

I give bums absolutely nothing. Let them get jobs.

Very difficult to do. Many uneducated or just kids. 

[BrettGC]

43 minutes ago, Doglover said:

I give bums absolutely nothing. Let them get jobs.

Because poverty is a choice right?

[mountainside]

1 hour ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

these things happen everywhere but are still generally safe here

Thanks for the update.  Ayala/IT Park/Lahug will likely be our home base when we return to Phils.  We've spent a couple months there and really liked it (well, sometimes traffic and air quality bugged us).  But to be honest, I take greater precautions where we live here in the US than I will in CC.  As to panhandlers and street kids, well, they're just a fact of life for those who get out and about in the Phils.  We've coped OK before and I think we will again.

[Jollygoodfellow]

24 minutes ago, mountainside said:

Thanks for the update.  Ayala/IT Park/Lahug will likely be our home base when we return to Phils.  We've spent a couple months there and really liked it (well, sometimes traffic and air quality bugged us).

Bit off topic and not sure when you were here last but it's a bit different here now and rather quiet during the day. Many call center agents work from home these days but night time comes alive but still not like it once was.

Anyway, my partner says she has heard nothing of any holdups of call center workers recently but who knows? Let me know if you return and I will let you buy me a beer 

[mountainside]

17 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

not sure when you were here last

Married in CC in 2015.  My wife has really fine family members there.  We lived in SBFZ from 2016-2019, and travelled back and forth to CC while we lived there.  Since we have Philippines-on-the-brain right now, we're binging on Cebu City YouTube films and I've been reading quite a bit of CC news for the last couple months.  From all I can tell, CC is a more attractive town now than it was when we were married there.  And I like the direction and momentum of the local government.

17 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Let me know if you return and I will let you buy me a beer

Hell yes.  Maybe more than one.  I ain't no kuripot.  We should arrive in September.

[mountainside]

34 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Anyway, my partner says she has heard nothing of any holdups of call center workers recently but who knows?

I got the story wrong.  It was Business Park, not IT Park.  Isolated incident -- hadn't happened before.  https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/2023/03/05/2249442/suspect-robbery-2-call-center-agents-falls 

[JJReyes]

13 hours ago, mountainside said:

As to panhandlers and street kids, well, they're just a fact of life for those who get out and about in the Phils.

Ayala area security guards are pretty good at keeping them away.  I think area residents and office workers have a way of reporting them and then two or three security guards show up in a van.  They are driven somewhere outside an established perimeter in a "catch & release" program than does not offend the public.