kidnapping risk in the Sulu Sea

[bvbellomo]

I planned a dive trip to Puerto Galera for my birthday in February. Last weekend, my mother watched something political on PBS about different countries, and apparently one of the guests was a Filipino women who said Americans will get kidnapped and killed. I haven't been able to figure out which show this is, so I haven't seen it myself, but suspect she may have been talking about specific areas, such as rural Mindanao. She convinced my mom I am traveling to certain death.

I tried to book flights yesterday and couldn't find anything reasonably priced under 24 hours to Manila for the whole month of February. There are much shorter and cheaper flights in March. If I go in March, I feel I should at least consider a Tubbataha liveaboard instead of Puerto Galera. If I still go to Puerto Galera this year, I am going to want to visit Tubbataha in the future.

The US State Department isn't much help. Usually I'd point my mom to that site, or something similar. Unfortunately, they have a "The Sulu Archipelago and Sulu Sea – Level 4: Do Not Travel" which is ambiguous enough it might cover a Tubbataha liveaboard or even the island of Palawan. So telling my mom to read the State Department website and then saying I am going to the Sulu Sea instead might be worse than her expecting terrorists beheading me in the Manila airport.

Does anyone know what show on PBS my mom watched? Does anyone have anything I can tell my mother to read that won't freak her out about Tubbataha?

I'd also appreciate any information on real dangers. I have yet to hear or read anything on anything going wrong on a Tubbataha liveaboard, but this seems like it is in a "Level 4" area. Does anyone have any real information? This is also potentially an insurance issue. If I cancel because my father (in worse health) ends up in the hospital, I don't want to be told none of my money is refundable because I planned to visit a terrorist area.

 

[Jake 10]

maybe this PBS program?

Land of Bad: How dangerous is Sulu Sea in real life? Explained ​

BySanchari Ghosh​

Modified Jul 19, 2024 19:34 GMT​

 

[Centrals]

Any Filipino woman suggesting that Americans will get kidnapped and killed should be sent to mental asylum!

 

[bvbellomo]

Any Filipino woman suggesting that Americans will get kidnapped and killed should be sent to mental asylum!

I wouldn't judge without seeing the show myself. What she said, and what my mom says she said, could be very different.

 

[bvbellomo]

maybe this PBS program?

Land of Bad: How dangerous is Sulu Sea in real life? Explained ​

BySanchari Ghosh​

Modified Jul 19, 2024 19:34 GMT​

Is this an article by Sanchari Ghosh? Or an article about a Sanchari Ghosh show?

 

[Fred A.]

I

I planned a dive trip to Puerto Galera for my birthday in February. Last weekend, my mother watched something political on PBS about different countries, and apparently one of the guests was a Filipino women who said Americans will get kidnapped and killed. I haven't been able to figure out which show this is, so I haven't seen it myself, but suspect she may have been talking about specific areas, such as rural Mindanao. She convinced my mom I am traveling to certain death.

I tried to book flights yesterday and couldn't find anything reasonably priced under 24 hours to Manila for the whole month of February. There are much shorter and cheaper flights in March. If I go in March, I feel I should at least consider a Tubbataha liveaboard instead of Puerto Galera. If I still go to Puerto Galera this year, I am going to want to visit Tubbataha in the future.

The US State Department isn't much help. Usually I'd point my mom to that site, or something similar. Unfortunately, they have a "The Sulu Archipelago and Sulu Sea – Level 4: Do Not Travel" which is ambiguous enough it might cover a Tubbataha liveaboard or even the island of Palawan. So telling my mom to read the State Department website and then saying I am going to the Sulu Sea instead might be worse than her expecting terrorists beheading me in the Manila airport.

Does anyone know what show on PBS my mom watched? Does anyone have anything I can tell my mother to read that won't freak her out about Tubbataha?

I'd also appreciate any information on real dangers. I have yet to hear or read anything on anything going wrong on a Tubbataha liveaboard, but this seems like it is in a "Level 4" area. Does anyone have any real information? This is also potentially an insurance issue. If I cancel because my father (in worse health) ends up in the hospital, I don't want to be told none of my money is refundable because I planned to visit a terrorist area.

I don't know anything about the PBS show but I spent 8 days diving in Puerta Galera this past June. The resort sends a van to the airport in Manila to bring you to the resort which is about a 3 hour ride on big, modern freeways and a few small roads. The idea of being kidnapped seems utterly ridiculous to me. I would imagine the U.S. Embassy in Manila, or the State Department could give you better info. than a PBS special.

 

[bvbellomo]

I

I don't know anything about the PBS show but I spent 8 days diving in Puerta Galera this past June. The resort sends a van to the airport in Manila to bring you to the resort which is about a 3 hour ride on big, modern freeways and a few small roads. The idea of being kidnapped seems utterly ridiculous to me. I would imagine the U.S. Embassy in Manila, or the State Department could give you better info. than a PBS special.

Yes, as I said having her read the State Department website would make her feel a lot better about Puerto Galera and Manilla, but a lot worse about Tubbataha

 

[Centrals]

I wouldn't judge without seeing the show myself. What she said, and what my mom says she said, could be very different.

LOL.
How many Americans had been kidnapped and killed in Philippines over last 30 years?

 

[bvbellomo]

According to the state department, 371 US Citizens were killed between October 2002 and December 2022. This includes 61 suicides and 156 homicides.

The USA has 0.47 homicide per suicide, vs 2.56 for the Philippines. Assuming US Citizens are equally likely to kill themselves in either country, the Philippines is more dangerous. 10 days in the Philippines carries the same risk of homicide as 54 days in the USA.

This may not be a fair comparison, if US Citizens are 10 times more likely to kill themselves in the USA, 10 days in the Philippines carries the same risk of homicide as 5.4 days in the USA.

 

[DivingLane]

That's it, i'm leaving the US with that kinda homicide risk. I can't survive 54 more days here?