Is It Safe In The Philippines For Foreigners?

Is It Safe In The Philippines In 2022: If you’re planning a vacation or are looking to move to the Philippines, one of the most important questions you may find yourself asking is… is it safe in the Philippines?

Overall, the Philippines is a safe country due to the increase in law enforcement and security over the last several years. Additionally, international aid has helped thousands of families across the Philippines with essential daily items, which has been linked to lower crime levels in certain rural areas.

The question of is the Philippines safe branches out into many different categories and locations. Just like every country, there are safe and unsafe areas. Thus, we shall explore some categories in more detail today.

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Is It Safe In The Philippines In 2022

Safety in the Philippines covers many categories: work safety, living safety, crime and law, and many other areas. Today we will focus on living safety for those who wish to live in the Philippines in 2022.

Are The Cities Safe In The Philippines

Most foreigners tend to be situated in or around the main cities. There are some fascinating statistics concerning the safety of the cities in the Philippines. It may not surprise you that the unsafest city is in Manila, and that is Quezon City. While at the opposite end, the safest city in the Philippines is in the South, Davao City.

How safe is Davao? I lived in Davao for around nine months, give or take, way back in 2019. I didn’t know at the time that it has been in the top 3 safest cities in the world for the last few years. I was amazed at Davao’s difference and the rapid change it has gone through over the last five years from speaking to the locals. You could walk around at 3 am and still feel completely safe. This might be due to the visible authority presence around the city.

How safe is Cebu? I stayed in Cebu around 2017, and from my viewpoint, I feel Cebu is safer than Manila but not as safe as Davao. It’s a great in-between city. I never had any trouble while in Cebu. During my travels in Cebu, I saw less authority around the city compared to Davao city.

How safe is Manila? Manila is is on a different scale compared to the other cities in the country as it is the capital. I have stayed in Manila, but I have not stayed long term in Manila’s Metropolitan area, so I cannot comment on the metro zones. But the parts I did stay in…I saw countless numbers of homeless people and glaring poverty. Traffic is at most times horrendous. Finally, I noticed many scams taking place not only on foreigners but also on locals.

As we have discovered, the area of Manila is the unsafest in the Philippines. However, it must be said when we look at statistics of other countries more times than not. The unsafest areas are indeed in the capital cities. Most visits are trouble-free. It’s always recommended that you bring your street smarts with you.

Is It Safe In The Philippines For Eating

Next on our list is eating. We discuss eating because if you have visited some of the countries in Asia, you will realize hygiene and safety are not always paramount. Unfortunately, there have been times where many foreigners have gotten sick and sometimes hospitalized through eating raw or contaminated food.

Food safety in the Philippines is covered under the Republic act 10611 and is something that authorities take very seriously. I have never been sick due to eating bad food /water (and trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of junk food).

As we know, it is tough to predict if food has been contaminated, so some basic common sense such as making sure meat is cooked fully will serve you well in the avoidance of food poisoning.

What About The Natural Disasters of The Philippines

The Philippines saw its fair share of natural disasters over the last several years. There were a series of earthquakes occurring a few years back. This affected the Mindanao area mainly, and sadly people, homes, and buildings were affected. There are other natural disasters that the Philippines experience throughout the year (at the time of writing this, there is currently a typhoon warning broadcast on the news!).

Due to its geographical location, the Philippines has seen natural disasters for many years, likely to continue. Should this affect your trip? No way! 😊. I say this because when we look at natural disasters, there are indeed many, and even though some have catastrophic outcomes, not all-natural disasters are disastrous. For instance, when I stayed in Davao City, several earthquakes hit in 48 hours, and many other people did not feel even a single one.

Sadly the Philippines is one of the most natural disaster-prone countries in the world! When looking at the safety of the Philippines, it’s always advisable to follow local and national guidelines. There have been some powerful natural disasters over the last few years, and sadly, lives have been taken. Even though natural disasters should not discourage you from living in the Philippines, it is still an important area to think about.

Is Terrorism A Safety Concern In The Philippines

Sadly, just like natural disasters, the Philippines has also seen its fair share of terrorism in recent years. The Philippine authorities have brought in a severe non-negotiable strategy to deal with the increase in terrorism. You may see more authorities in public places such as malls, and due to some recent events, you may also find security at places of worship.

There have also been some reports involving foreigners and kidnapping over the years when we look at the geographical locations. You can see that some of these locations are in cities that are not recommended to travel to by most of our national embassies (More on this below).

Extra Information To Stay Safe In The Philippines 2022

A great source of information on the safety of the Philippines is the local embassy. For example, in the UK, the government operates a great website full of Information for citizens looking to travel to the Philippines. This page includes areas deemed safe and areas they don’t recommend traveling to unless necessary.

Safety Tips For The Philippines 2022

Always Find Out The Price Of Any Transport Before You Get In This Is Especially True For Taxis In Manila

Educate Yourself On Scams And Cons
If You Are Unsure About Location Always Tried To Be With A Close Friend During This Time
Certain Areas Engage With Crime At Certain Times

Pick Pocketing Is Common In Certain Areas. Especially Those Metropolitan Areas So Always Keep Your Valuables Safe
If You Are Backpacking Or Going On A Tour Always, Keep Locks On Your Bags Especially If You Are On The Beach
If You Are Worried About The Situation, Head Into A Mall As They Are Full Of Security

If You Have Problems With Taxis, Download The Grab App
Stick To Drinking Bottled Water
Some Areas Are More Prone To Natural Disasters It May Be Suitable To Avoid These Areas

Follow Your Local National Embassies Advice
Always Follow The Rules And Always Stay Away From Drugs Of Any Kind
For Tricks And Safety News Become A Member Of A Facebook Group

Is It Safe In The Philippines In Genral

Happily, the Philippines is becoming more popular as the years go by. Suppose you plan a short vacation to the Philippines or decide to become more of a long-term resident. In that case, it’s always important we are educated about The Philippines but more so streetwise. This will help us avoid any unnecessary trouble.

Is it safe in the Philippines? Most of the cities are entirely safe for foreigners. The majority of Filipinos are incredibly kind and approachable, so there should be no problems on your travels.

Another thing to note is that due to the current president’s involvement, corruption in the country has dramatically decreased, so that should be no problems around this topic.

As long as you always follow the country’s rules, regulations, and laws, your visit should be trouble-free. Is It Safe In The Philippines? Absolutely!

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