US Embassy warns of possible kidnappings

[SqdnGuns 21]

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

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

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

[dbears 1]

Before my wife came to the USA, I visited her in Tagum just outside of Davao City.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

[sj5 4]

you cracking me up..

[RyaNRiza 1]

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.

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

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

[dbears 1]

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

[ez2007 1]

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

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

[ChrisB0707 4]

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

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

[RyaNRiza 1]

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

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

[hoosier 0]

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.

[ChrisB0707 4]

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.

[leejoy_and_ron 0]

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.

[hoosier 0]

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.

[ez2007 1]

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.

DDS - Dinhing Dapita Sadya

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