PHILIPPINES
Crime &
Safety
The Philippines is a safe place to travel as long as you exercise
discretion and common sense. You'll find the same con artists
and hustlers here that you'll find anywhere else, but most Filipinos
are friendly and helpful. One of the most common scams is for
foreigners to be approached by well-dressed young men or women
who offer to buy you a coffee or a beer.
The next day you wake up from a deep drug-induced sleep to find
you have been relieved of your personal belongings. If you have
a theft to report, you will have to file a complaint with the
police to stand any chance of making an insurance claim. If it's
a potentially serious problem, contact your embassy in Manila.
It is generally accepted that police in the Philippines are not
Asia's finest. Successive government administrations have made
some headway in cleaning up the force, but it is still plagued
by accusations of corruption, collusion and an alleged willingness
to shoot first and ask questions later. Part of the problem is
the low pay police officers receive. In 1999, new recruits were
being offered the equivalent of US$120 a month. This makes some
of them - a tiny minority, according to senior officers - willing
to supplement their income with payoffs from anyone from the humblest
motorist to the most notorious drug king.
Medical
Care & Emergencies
There are pharmacies everywhere in the Philippines, so
if you have a minor ailment and need to buy medicine over the
counter, finding one should not be a problem. The biggest chain
is Mercury, which has branches all over the place, but even the
smallest village tends to have some sort of store where you can
buy the basics.
In Manila and other major tourist centres, hospitals are generally
well equipped and staffed by English-speaking doctors. Hotels
and resorts sometimes have their own doctor on duty, or can at
least point you in the direction of a local clinic. In case of
serious illness you will need to be evacuated, either to Manila
or your home country, so make sure you have arranged health insurance
before you leave home.
Emergency phone numbers
The 24-hour number for emergency services (police, fire and ambulance)
throughout the Philippines is 166, but bear in mind it doesn't
always work in the provinces, where ambulances and fire stations
are few and far between. Even in Manila the emergency services
are not known for their efficiency.
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