FYI, Just got this from Yahoo News. Be safe when you are in the Philippines. I have been there many times and never had problems. I would make sure not to go outside the city.

MANILA, Philippines - The U.S. Embassy warned its citizens Tuesday that "extremist elements" planned to kidnap Americans and other foreigners in a southern Philippine city where U.S. counterterrorism troops have been deployed.
Extremist elements may be planning to kidnap Americans or other foreigners at hotels or other public places in the Zamboanga city area," it said in an e-mail.U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Thompson said she was unaware of specific details of the threat.
A Philippine security official said authorities received intelligence last month that the Abu Sayyaf — a small but violent al-Qaida-linked group — planned to kidnap wealthy Filipino Chinese traders, not Americans, in the south to raise money for operations.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.
Zamboanga Mayor Celso Lobregat said police told him there was no kidnapping plot specifically directed at Americans in Zamboanga, about 530 miles south of Manila."This is really very disappointing," Lobregat told The Associated Press by telephone. "Zamboanga is a very peaceful city."
U.S. counterterrorism troops have been based in recent years in Zamboanga and on nearby Jolo island, where they provide training to Filipino troops battling the Abu Sayyaf and Indonesian militants. Abu Sayyaf guerrillas have been blamed for bombings, kidnappings and beheadings, but their attacks have considerably eased in recent years.U.S.-backed offensives against the militants, arrests and surrenders have reduced the Abu Sayyaf's strength to about 300 armed fighters from more than 1,000 in 2000, according to the military.

This has been an issue eversince, specifically in some places of Mindanao. It would be advisable not to take risk in going there specially in the Zamboanga area. I am from Mindanao and in the Zamboanga area. Very very seldom you see foreigners there. I wanted so much for Ryan to meet all members of my family. However, I made a decision that he better stay in Cebu and had my mom and aunt come here to meet him. I do not want to take a risk, most importantly his safety. His safety and welfare is my utmost concern.

-Riza

I agree, I was in Davao City in 2003 and was only there for 2 days and someone set off a bomb in the airport and killed lots of people. I never went back there. I have been to the Philippines many times since then but usually stay in Makati area now. Just be smart everyone and dont go places without lots of people and dont go outside the cities.

Nothing unusual. When I lived in the Philippines, I was registered with the USEM and would receive e-mail advisories at least once a month.

You have more of a chance of being killed by a Jeepney or crazy taxi driver in Manila than being kidnapped in the south.

In my personal opinion, it is much wiser to take precautions than being sorry. I am not a risk taker when it comes to the safety of my loved ones life. I have experienced running to and fro with my family and the whole barangay during the Abu Sayaff attack in the town of Ipil in 1995. We were not actually living on the said town, but the place where we lived is a mountainous area where Abu Sayaff members fled after the attack. It was scary and the military plane bombings added the fear. It's funny, I am back to this memory that happened 13 years ago

Also, the US government is just doing their duty to safeguard their citizens by warning them through travel advisories. Now, it's still up to the person whether he/she will take the advisory or not.

-Riza

I agree its always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your loved ones.

i agree

That was an isolated case. Bombs also set off in Manila. I don't think Makati is safest after that November 2007 incident in that memorable Makati hotel where we stayed on my sweetie's first visit. Davao City had received several awards including "Most Livable City"

Many foreigners and their filipino wives retire here. There are several foreign missionaries here also.

Does anyone have the statistics for the number of foreigners kidnapped in Makati as compared to Zamboanga city ?

My Husband now (Fiance-before) met in Davao somewhere in the South. I feel scared he's not safe there because of those Abu sayaf but he insists to styaed there for 18 days and nothing happens nor threat or anything unsual happens. As long as you stay in a busy street or places where they can't snatched right away, you are safe there.

Just my 2c.

Completely agree! That bombing was an isolated case and even the number of people who got killed that time is still lower than the number of people getting killed in Manila. There's muggings, white slavery, day light hold up, etc.

Zamboanga is not Mindanao. And compared to the peacefulness in Davao, Manila is a jungle.

I have been to Manila several times, have lived there for almost a year. have worked in Ayala and also in Paranaque but still I don't like Manila. I don't like the pollution, the traffic and I don't like the taxi swindlers.

Everytime Ricky comes here, I make it a point to have him spend more time here in Davao than in Manila

Before my wife came to the USA, I visited her in Tagum just outside of Davao City. I have been to the Phils six times and to Mindanao four of those times. I was careful about where I go, but never felt in danger. Maybe I am just naive. I never went to places that were not in the public view there. We were either at her family's home or in public places in the city. I would not go hiking in the mountains there. I never traveled alone.....even just to the store. I always had my wife or a member of her family with me.

I have been to Davao City and Cagayan de Oro too. Again....we stayed in populated areas and did not go off to the remote parts. I always kept my eyes open and don't talk to strangers. I would be friendly, but if I got bad vibes off of someone, then I just keep going quickly. Only one time I really felt uncomfortable with a stranger and I just moved quickly to get away.

Obviously, nothing can be 100% safe there. You are in a foreign country that has militant extremists that blow things up and have kidnapped people. It doesn't happen every day though and there are precautions to take to be safe.

I plan on going back with my wife to get her daughter in a few months. We will go to her Ate's house in Tagum and I don't really worry about it. I will be aware, but not paranoid.

Scott

My trip was in mid-May to the first week of June in 2006. Most of my time was spent in the Greater Manila area and some rural areas of the Zambales province. Didn't experience any problems in either place.

In the rural barrio, my stepmother has an enormous family (1 of 11 siblings) so there were always plenty of people around (my fiance is the niece of my stepmother). They just made sure that I never walked alone even during the daytime. Usually, if I needed something from house to house in the barrio, I would just hand one of my young step-cousins a few pesos to get things for me or if I needed an escort, there were always plenty of girls (my fiance's cousins) or young step-cousins that would go with me.

In the Greater Manila area, I was always with a few of my step-uncles everywhere we went as well as my step-aunt from the U.S.

All-in-all, just be smart and always try to have somebody, or preferably, a group with you. You can look up information regarding current safety issues even in the rural areas on the U.S. Embassy's website as well as the U.S. State Department at http://travel.state.gov

There's things such as militia that usually just want a fee, better to hand cash than yourself! Have fun, be smart, the Philippines is a great vacation!

I was in Davao City last December and stayed there for couple of days. I like the place so much and the natural beauty mesmerized me. Peace and order is outstanding. I can even use my celfon in public without fearing that someone would snatch it. I saw very very few foreigners though which I wondered why because Davao is such a very beautiful and peaceful city and has a bunch of tourist attractions. I deemed foreigners are reluctant to visit the city because it's part of Mindanao and there are lots of exaggerated news when it comes to peace and order.

I've never been in Manila, but I believe Cebu and Davao is much much better when it comes to peace and order, pollution and such.

-Riza

I posted this info just to make everyone aware thats all. I have been to the Philippines many time and love the country. I purchased my first condo there last year and plan on getting 2 more over the next 2 years. I will retire in the Philippines in about 5 years after my fiancee is a US citizen. Davao City is a great city and I loved the place when I was there. The Philippine Eagle was very nice to see and I really loved Jacksridge. The DDS will take care of most the bad people, Filipino's from davao know what im talking about. I hope to see Boracay and Cebu someday. Take care and always be safe everyone. Goodluck

You are absolutely right! GenSan is nice as well............

So your wife is from Tagum???? WOW! I am also from Tagum. I hope you have tried checking the beaches near Tagum.



From the heart of a proud Dabawenya: THANK YOU RIZA!.. but don't be too relax with celphone next time, it may be not as rampant as in Manila but there are celphone snatching here also. but snatchers are more discreet, they'd get it from your bag when like in very crowded area or on jeepneys.

We do have lots of foreigners here but mostly Koreans and from other asian countries. Caucasians are rare probably because of what you have stated. Ricky was also feeling uneasy at the thought of coming to Davao before but I told him if he survived manila (he's been to the Philippines even before he met me), then Davao would be a breeze.

i have been to Cebu many times. My mother is cebuana and we are both nuts for MASAREAL!!! we have shamrock otap at the grocery stores now. we also have chichiritos chicahron here but we don't have masareal probably because of its short shelf life.

You've never been to Manila so it will be your first time when you go for interview? Well, you can really see the difference the moment the plane starts to go down, you'd see the SMOG covering the city and then you will see the dark mudlike ocean near factories.

it will be my first time to have my kids with me so I am somewhat worried also. In davao, I don't have fear of losing my kids in malls because I know nobody will get them aside from mall employees and they will just be taken to customer center... In manila, there are syndicates that are kidnapping kids not really for money which makes it more scary. I'm probably just paranoid because I'll have two kids with me but I know everything will be fine. God will be our protector.

Best of luck to you Riza, hope you'll have your interview sched soon.



hmm, it seemed you have not seen Samal island with all it hundreds of beautiful resorts, the bat caves and Pearl Farm... you should definitely come back for a visit.

And yes, DDS is still very much in action... and majority of taxi drivers in Davao are still honest with giving exact change... a thing that can only be dreamed on in Manila.

you cracking me up..

Thanks for the good luck dbears!

Your children must be excited to come and visit their mom's homeland. I'll pray for your safe travel.

-Riza

I'm not from Manila. I just went there for work before.

I'm proud to be half Igorot, half Cebuana pero tubong davao.

The area surrounding SLEC and USEM is really dirty but Makati, especially the Ayala area is another thing. It is clean and beautiful. Sobrang lawak din ng mga kalsada. Manila is a haven for shoppers as long as you have the cash you will never ran out of things to do there. GASTO lang jud kaayo but I am planning to go to 168 mall in divisoria to buy lacoste & other branded shirts for re-sale here(1st class imitation, the cloth is soft and it doesn't shrink even after many washings. you will never know the difference). I bought several pieces the other year and it sold like hotcake.

If we will be in Manila on the same week (i'd be there with my two kids from may 13- 24) and if ever maglisod ka tuyok2x didto, I could help show you around in exchange for a bar of masareal

That's why my handsome feels he is safe here . He and i plan on retiring here. . . .hopefully, if our knees will still be strong after 10 years, strolling hand in hand on the white sands of our beach resort, or gazing into each others eyes under the lovers' moon

I agree, I love Paradise Island. From the short boat ride over looking down to see the fish swiming to the white beach. Billards on the beach or just sitting on the beach in a chair. I loved the place

This sounds great!!! Don't have interview sched yet, don't know if I will be in Manila during the days you're there. I hope

-Riza

There are many that might argue that Davao is the safest city in the Philippines. The mayor there is a real ballbuster. I don't think many will argue that it is the cleanest and most organized of the bigger cites.
Davao is high on my list of places I'm considering when I retire.

Yes the mayor is a ballbuster. Any many know he is really the one to control the DDS. Davao city is very nice and much cleaner.

I was just in Manila, Puerto Galera and Davao in January. Leejoy and my first meeting. Being in the military and having been deployed to Iraq, I was on high alert when in Davao, based off of the travel warnings. Although I only saw one other westerner there, at the super market, I felt very safe. I stayed at the Waterfron Insular Hotel. Everyone was very nice. Visted Jacks Ridge, absolutely beautiful. We had our engagement party in Davao also. Leejoy's family knows the mayor and reassured me that Davao (within the city) is a very safe place. Manila I felt very safe. We stayed at the Heritage Hotel and made the walk to Baclaran shopping almost every night. Leejoy is very kuripot. One of the only things buying at the Mall of Asia was here engagement ring. Every where I went while in the Philippines I felt very safe.

I would take my chances anywhere in Mindanao or the Philippines alone on a dark street before I would in some of the inner city areas I've been to in Chicago, Detroit or Gary Indiana even.

DDS - Dinhing Dapita Sadya

It means "it's a merry place here" (help with the translation mga bisdak)