How safe is it NOW in the Philippines?

arty5987 wrote:

Grates or bars on the Windows???? Is the house supposed to look like a house or a prison?

Pretty normal security precaution in the Philippines especially without a patrolling police presence as in the states.

If you are planning on a move to the Philippines it is entirely up to you if you build a home. If you rent, the house may or may not have them. Condominiums most often do not.

FCStraight wrote:

I wouldn't want bars on my window blocked and the window is your only exit.   I'll just make it so it's not worth for would-be intruders to burglarize my home.

Before we moved here, we lived in a rental flat in San Francisco, CA. The unit was above the garage. Street-facing windows, which were high up, did not have metal bars. But bedroom windows had them as these could be easily accessed from the back yard. (No need for ladders.) The front door had a metal gate.

My husband and I actually welcomed having bars on our windows. As parents, we've had  a fear of our child being abducted from our own home in the middle of the night. So, the bars helped us sleep better at night. The bars had a thumb turn lock that was almost impossible to open from the outside without a key but can be easily opened from the inside. The fire department also had a copy of the key.

Here in the Philippines, we had bars installed on our windows and glass sliding doors. All the bedroom windows have a fire exit. So, one can exit the house through the windows in case of fire by unlocking the padlock on the grills. We always tell our guests staying overnight where the key to the guest bedroom is kept.

The grills on our house are not just plain vertical bars. Decorative elements and accents were added. Some security bars here can be really fancy.

One can think of security bars as either a glass half empty or half full. Some may view security bars as making their house feel like a prison. Others may view it as making their house feel like a fortress that would keep intruders away. My husband and I view it as the latter.

FCStraight wrote:

FilAmMom, the need for window bars should be decided according to family circumstances, and in your case it makes sense specially that you have a child in your home.  And an elaborate ornate one such as you described is a plus.  And ensuring you have a way to open it from the inside makes a lot of sense.
But for many families who can't afford decorative bars or special locks that can be opened from inside but not from outside except with a key, unfortunately would have to settle for simple window bars....that looks like prison bars...or bird cage.  When I was a young boy growing up in Manila, I happen to witness a house across from ours go up in flames.  In short, the entire family perished; they couldn't escape through the only exit available- the barred windows.   I don't think the special locks that you can open from the inside were invented yet...or if already available, perhaps they couldn't afford to install them.   I still have nightmares about that fire.   So no window bars for my house....well unless I can have ornate ones like you have.

The hardware that I mentioned is not available here in the Philippines.  Even if it were available here, I don't think it will sell as it's pretty big -- a 5" diameter metal box.

The set up that's more common here in the Philippines is one that has a small door that swings outward that can be locked with a padlock. The padlock is more discreet than the hardware I mentioned previously. I had seen padlock type installations since I was a little girl. I'm now 47. So, this set up has been in existence for quite some time. 

By the way, for those of you who have this set up, I suggest testing the door once in while. If you want, do a dry run. Replace the padlock if it's rusted over. Place the key where it can be easily found, like on a hook, and place a tag on it. Routinely spray WD40 on your padlock. Inform your guests who are sleeping over how to use the exit window.

An average middle class  Filipino family may not be able to afford the extra decorative work, but these can be added later on if they want. Metal / iron work is not that expensive here in the Philippines. My cost to add circles and curls to the bars:  US$500-600 (I forgot to ask for a discount), and that's for 16 sliding windows of various sizes and 2 sliding doors.

Some people can be stubborn. Though they are aware that they can be trapped inside their house if they have fixed metal bars on their windows, and they also know that if they convert them to one that has a fire exit such that they can escape in case of fire, they don't want to take action. They reason, fires are rare. It will not happen to us. What is that Filipino saying? "Nasa huli ang pagsisisi." Fires can happen anywhere at any time to anyone.

So, you say, "I'll just make it so it's not worth for would-be intruders to burglarize my home."  The house of one of my workers was burglarized. His house is simply built. Though he had a funds for installing metal bars, he was procrastinating on ordering them. He said they were expensive. He and his family woke up one morning and found their front door open and their laptop, cellphones, tablets, and 8k pesos in a drawer missing. Despite the loss, they're lucky they were not harmed. He ordered the bars with fire exit. The cost of the bars was less than the  cash lost and the cost to replace the stolen items.

scott1953 wrote:

Hello Teejay, I just wanted to state that in July 2016 i went into BI office here in CDO  to request a 6 month extension for my tourist visa. I paid a total of 7,030. I am curious why it was so much less than the 11,500 you stated? Believe me i am not complaining. lol

As you can see in the article via the attached link. The published stated cost and the actual cost paid was different.

http://www.in-philippines.com/6-month-t … hilippines

In your case the cost paid was less that 8,250 paid by the poster in the article.  If you look at the schedule of fees in the article you will see the fees listed that you may not have paid simply because you did not use the service such as express lane fees. If you subtract the express lane fees from the 11.500 total the total then becomes 8,500 pesos.   The fee total obviously depends on what services you have availed yourself of. 

Total the breakdown of the fees you paid and see how that compares to the fees listed on the post.

TeeJay

It was a bloody and tragic end to what might have been a charmed life. The bullet-riddled body of Aurora Moynihan, the daughter of the 3rd Baron Moynihan, was found lying beside a road in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, last weekend.

The glow of nearby streetlights illuminated not only her bloodied corpse, but a scrawled message on a piece of cardboard reading: “Pusher to the celebrities you are next.”

According to police, the 45-year-old was carrying four sachets of “shabu” (methamphetamine), four pieces of aluminium foil, a glass tube, two mobile phones and other personal belongings

nile566 wrote:

Here's the reason why I may never return to The Philippines:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/ … ina-russia

I understand what you are saying Nile, always consider that your list of countries never to visit will include:

1 Australia - we don't just lease land to China and Russia, we sell the land, and have strong trade alliances with China.  They are Australia major trading partner.
2. Thailand, Thailand does more trade with China than any other country.
3. Vietnam, - yep still a communist country that deals mostly with China
4. South Korea - China is the biggest trading partner.
5 China of course
6 America - also has strong trade alliance with China, been it second largest trade after Canada.
7 The UK's second largest trading partner is China, after Germany, for imports.
8 etc.


I understand that it looks like DR is moving away from the USA, will this stop me from coming here?  That will depend on what other forms of alliances he takes on with them, so yet to be seen for me.  I will watch this space for a while.

One thing that has happened is that I can over the recent months obtain a better currency deal when I visit the Philippines , and it does feel safer.

nile566 wrote:

Here's the reason why I may never return to The Philippines:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/ … ina-russia

Politics, just politics.

If that stops you, don't travel anywhere.