Sharing a dive map of the Philippines

[ttc008]

I never pay any attention on travel advice issued by hksar or others.
Several yrs ago, hksar gov issued black travel warning to Philippines because of the hostages fiasco. But I travelled there regardless and the flight was quite empty with much discount.

Is there anywhere in the Philippines you wouldn't visit for safety reason?

 

[Centrals]

Is there anywhere in the Philippines you wouldn't visit for safety reason?

Good question.
There are many places in Philippines that I had never been and it has nothing to do with safety. You are most likely to get robbed in Manila than anywhere else. A Korean man was robbed and shot(killed) in Malete in Manila in Mar this yr. Two Japanese were robbed at gun point in Makati couple of wks ago!!! Malete is the area where Si-Kat departs to PG everyday for umpteen yrs. Is Manila safe?

I assumed your question is on terrorism. There had been a few cases over last 25yrs when foreigners were target by terrorist group but it is extremely rare. The most famous incident happened in 2000 at Sipadan(Sabah in East Malaysia), hostages were taken and sent to Jolo in Philippines. The rest is history.
I have seen video on youtube by a foreign tourist about his trip to Basilan which is supposed to be the most dangerous place in the country!!
Marawi City in 2017 witnessed a five month battle between Gov forces and the militants. Two yrs ago a bomb killed four at a Catholic Mass there.
I need a good reason to travel to a strange place and scuba diving is the only reason that I visit Philippines. So you will not see me visiting Marawi and Basilan. There are many places where scuba diving is available in Philippines but lack of detail information and review has deterred me from visiting. I am NOT that adventurous after all.

 

[ttc008]

Good question.
There are many places in Philippines that I had never been and it has nothing to do with safety. You are most likely to get robbed in Manila than anywhere else. A Korean man was robbed and shot(killed) in Malete in Manila in Mar this yr. Two Japanese were robbed at gun point in Makati couple of wks ago!!! Malete is the area where Si-Kat departs to PG everyday for umpteen yrs. Is Manila safe?

I assumed your question is on terrorism. There had been a few cases over last 25yrs when foreigners were target by terrorist group but it is extremely rare. The most famous incident happened in 2000 at Sipadan(Sabah in East Malaysia), hostages were taken and sent to Jolo in Philippines. The rest is history.
I have seen video on youtube by a foreign tourist about his trip to Basilan which is supposed to be the most dangerous place in the country!!
Marawi City in 2017 witnessed a five month battle between Gov forces and the militants. Two yrs ago a bomb killed four at a Catholic Mass there.
I need a good reason to travel to a strange place and scuba diving is the only reason that I visit Philippines. So you will not see me visiting Marawi and Basilan. There are many places where scuba diving is available in Philippines but lack of detail information and review has deterred me from visiting. I am NOT that adventurous after all.

I will be visiting Manila for the first time this week. Might as well be the only time. I know there are neighborhoods to avoid 24/7, but didn't know robbery could happen in Makati as well. Better keep outdoor walking to the minimum then.
My future plans for visiting the Philippines will probably only involve diving as well.

 

[ArskaDiver]

@Centrals this info could easily make me avoid staying in Manila for anything longer than needed on an airport hotel prior to heading straight to PG on your coming trip in Dec. However, I recall some 10 years ago, just a month prior to our trip to Phuket a tourist woman was shot dead in robbery on a daylight on a streat, just in front of a very well known 4* hotel in the quiet Kata Noi beach. So could happen even in the land of smiles, even though pretty rare.

Things happen, but sounds one needs to be very alert if staying in Manila.
Would be good to know if these two recent incidents noted happened in the night or during day time, in a more shady area of those neighborhoods?

 

[Centrals]

@ArskaDiver
There has been another robbery gone terribly wrong resulting another Korean shot and killed in Angeles City several days ago.
A Korean woman was shot and killed when she walked into a coffee shop where robbery was happening in 2015!! Wrong place in the wrong time.
Detail info of various incident is available on line.

I had stayed in Malete on many occasions yrs ago because of the Si-Kat connection. But with the completion of the Southern Highway all the way to Batangas over 10 yrs ago. The Si-Kat service is no longer necessary. And depending on my arrival time at Manila, I either stayed close to T3 or EDSA LRT station or simply catch a early morning bus from Gil Puyat to Batangas Pier.
There are a lot of KTV in certain street in Malete.

How safe is Manila?
It is pretty safe but you have to be very careful. Never ever display your wealth and avoid dark alleyway. Street light is a luxury in the country.
BTW, never ever put up any resistance to robbery or similar. Money is worthless to a dead person.

 

[ArskaDiver]

What is KTV? Google tells karaoke tv but I do not get how it would be related to street safety…
EDIT: I pressume a shady version of it…not my cup of tea!

 

[Centrals]

What is KTV? Google tells karaoke tv but I do not get how it would be related to street safety…
EDIT: I pressume a shady version of it…not my cup of tea!

I am afraid it is indeed the shady version. Customer tends to carry large amount of cash to visit those places.

 

[Centrals]

I will be visiting Manila for the first time this week. Might as well be the only time. I know there are neighborhoods to avoid 24/7, but didn't know robbery could happen in Makati as well. Better keep outdoor walking to the minimum then.
My future plans for visiting the Philippines will probably only involve diving as well.

Manila is NOT that dangerous.