Phillippines - General safety question

[scubabum2]

My wife & I are considering going to Club Ocellaris at Batangas Bay this year with some friends. Both of us are ignorant about the Philippines and typically the US news only gives the bad news, so can anyone comment on our safety for our visit? We have read the State Dept travel advisories regarding some of the islands closer to Malaysia having terrorism issues.

Thanks for any information,
Mark

 

[Babydamulag]

As with most neighborhoods in the US, there is good and bad. The best way to describe the Philippines (in a way that Americans can understand) is to use the local analogy. I see you are from Texas. Okay, there are neighborhoods in Dallas that you don't go to EVER, and then there are the neighborhoods that you can go to WHENEVER. The old saying "Do not go across the tracks to other side of town after dark" applies in the PI too. The PI is the same way. Western influence on the culture has made the Philippines as modern as any other country and the corruption has made the Philippines as poor as any other Southeast Asian country in the area. It is a beautiful place, with beautiful people. A few bad apples make for bad press. Go on your vacation, be as weary as you would be in the US and enjoy yourself. Seedy characters lurk in the shadows all over the world. Treat your hosts with respect and they will reciprocate. Just keep your eyes and ears open and be safe!

 

[shugar]

well to answer you question more directly (sorry damulag): ocellaris is in the puerto gallera area - it's very safe for both locals and tourists (as is reasonably safe anywhere in the world)

just stay away from the muslim areas of mindanao island (about 1.5 hours by plane from manila) and you will have no problems... reasonable tourist caution suggested for travel anywhere else in the world is of course recommended (e.g. don't bring too much cash, ask the resort to secure your passport in a safe or similar safe storage, etc.)

have fun!!!

Jag

 

[Rick Murchison]

My feeling was always that I was safer in the Philippines than in Philadelphia. (Though I am sure there are areas of Philly that are safer than some areas of the PI).
Rick

 

[clgsamson]

Bro, sorry but Club Ocellaris is in Anilao.

 

[shugar]

Bro, sorry but Club Ocellaris is in Anilao.

oh crap! ya it was oceania i was thinking of! sorry mark! (jag --> needs more sleep and must lay off beers on white sand beaches of boracay)

anilao is even safer (IMHO) than PG! hahahahahahaha

Jag

 

[Babydamulag]

Yeah, ....what they said!
Just get your fins over here and have fun!!!

 

[jonix]

yup ocellaris is in Anilao, we pass it every time we do Aquaventure...from manila to anilao it's very much smooth and safe. whether you go in the morning, noontime or midnight doesn't make a difference...it's safe. eyebrow

mindanao is an exception though as jag mentioned. still not all of mindanao is unsafe, just parts of it.

agree with babydamulag...dive anilao!

 

[Diver Dennis]

A few of us from SB are headed there in a couple weeks. It is very safe in my opinion and the Philippine people are some of the friendliest in the world.

 

[jonix]

to give you an idea how safe anilao is...

bounded by blue is Luzon, red is Mindanao and the middle portion is the Visayas region

the southern philippines extremists (abu sayaf of CNN fame) are just too far from anilao