New risk level ?

[zenvagabond]

Not to sound like a nervous Nelly, but I'd give PH a miss right now. There are a lot of uncertainties and there are other places to go for diving. What is going on in Marawi right now can easily escalate and spread of other part of Palawan, Cebu, and Mindanao.

Actually - no it can't.

Marawi and Mindanao are the focal point for a long running insurgency in the country - there are no other parallels in the Filipino archipelago.

You have a higher chance of being killed in a road accident than by terrorists (in the Philippines).

 

[Freewillow]

Actually - no it can't.


You have a higher chance of being killed in a road accident than by terrorists (in the Philippines).

Especially when you see some of the vehicles that they are using on the roads there

 

[Centrals]

They are a lot better than those I saw in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Tibet.

 

[Freewillow]

They are a lot better than those I saw in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Tibet.

Everything in life is "relative". Does not make them safe though

 

[Centrals]

That is normal for the jeepney in the city when the speed seldom top 15km!!! At least they don't put passengers on the roof any more. I had done that before in Cambodia and Nepal when I was much more adventurous or stupid!
However, I would choose bus company carefully if it is for long distance if there is a choice!

 

[Freewillow]

The picture taken was from a mini bus that made the tour of Bohol Island: tarsier, chocolate hills, butterfly farm ........ Believe me the speed limit was NOT 15km/h

 

[Maverick17]

You have a higher chance of being killed in a road accident than by terrorists (in the Philippines).

This is a false equivalency. It's true for 90-95% of the world. The question here is if the risk level in the Philippines is higher than it used to be. Despite the far south being the focal point for a long time, the recent forays into Bohol and further up Palawan (discussed but I don't know if confirmed), indeed show possible changes in strategy and higher risk. It's still a few hundred miles away, and I wouldn't worry about PG myself. But the risk level is a small amount higher than it was in the past and shouldn't be pretended it isn't.

 

[Freewillow]

This is a false equivalency. .

While I agree for the rest of you post, the facts are just contradicting the above statement.

Just look at the estimation of death on the road in the Philippines and compare it to deaths by islamists:

"Based on 2013 data from the Philippines' Department of Public Works and Highway-Traffic Accident Recording and Analysis System, 1,513 people have died due to road accidents.

The WHO, however, has put the Philippine estimate much higher at 10,379 fatalities."

 

[peeweediver]

It seems very hard to discuss this issue without resorting to comparisons. Everybody has there own tolerance for risk. However, it is quite clear that this is not the same as the long running insurgency because the insurgents have now aligned with ISIS and ISIS has called for a new caliphate in the far southern Philippines. With their loss of territory in Syria and Iraq, every piece written on this indicates a bit of a rough time coming for the southern Philippines as foreign fighters are already showing up. However, how much the risk has increased can be debated forever. Would I go tomorrow, absolutely. Do I know how things will be 6 months from now, absolutely not. Read the facts, judge your own tolerance and make your decision. Nobody else's second guessing matters.

Rob

 

[Centrals]

The picture taken was from a mini bus that made the tour of Bohol Island: tarsier, chocolate hills, butterfly farm ........ Believe me the speed limit was NOT 15km/h

In this case I would refuse to board the mini bus!!