When foreigners are inquiring about retiring to the Philippines, they are often given two fallacies about crime in the country. The first myth is that it is open season on all foreigners and every foreigner will be robbed or murdered at some point. The second myth is that all Filipinos are warm, friendly people and they would never bother a foreigner. The truth is that there is a possibility that one who retires to the Philippines could become a crime victim and there are some really bad people in the Philippines, same as in every other country in the world.
There are a number of ways to lessen the chance of a foreigner becoming a crime victim in the Philippines. The first one is very simple but also very important and that is in choosing the location where they wish to retire in the Islands of Paradise. Metro Manila and Cebu City are notorious for having high crime rates and it is true. However, both Metro Manila and Cebu City are very large cities and there are a number of safe neighborhoods in both cities. The mid size cities, such as Bacolod City and Iloilo, have crime but not on the magnitude of the larger cities of the Philippines. Both these cities are safe in most areas.
The people you associate with in the Philippines also comes into play about putting yourself at risk. Most Filipinos are warm, friendly people, however, there are many scams, con games and hustles going down every day and some foreigners fall prey to a beautiful smile and a sexy body. If you are single and looking for a beautiful Filipina to hopefully begin a relationship, there are many places to meet a very beautiful and respectful lady. For the most part, the bars are not the place to begin your search.
Crime Deterrence
One of the first things that foreigners notice when they arrive in the Philippines is the presence of many security guards. Security guards are everywhere! At the entrance to all the shopping malls are security guards with a hand held metal detector. They inspect bags and do a pat down around the waist area. In the Golden Field Area of Bacolod City, which is one of the local tourist hangouts, one will see a number of security guards on the streets, armed with short barrel pump 12 gauge shotguns.
While living in the Philippines, it is my personal philosophy to do as the Filipinos do, as much as possible. Other than the native nipa huts, I have not seen many houses where anyone can walk right on the property and right up to the front door. Most homes have a wall around their property with a locked gate and the homes have bars on the doors and windows. Most Filipino home owners have several dogs on their property. We have a pit bull and a Belgian Malinois but neither dog is a trained attack dog. However, we do not allow them to get people-friendly with those outside our immediate family.
Gun Society
Many Filipinos have a love for guns, which is very similar to what many Americans hold. The Philippines grants the right to its citizens to buy a firearm for protection. The PNP, Philippine National Police, approves firearm licenses for home protection and for carrying the firearm outside the home. A strict background check is enforced on the firearm buyers. A foreign national in the Philippines does not have the right to buy a firearm or be approved for a firearm license, however, the Philippines citizen spouse of the foreign national does have that right.
Target shooting is a popular hobby in the Philippines and the Philippines President, Noynoy Aquino, is a gun owner who is an expert marksman. Some firing ranges allow foreigners to rent their firearms and enjoy target shooting but the firearm is not allowed to leave the firing range.
Safety
I feel much safer in the Bacolod Area of the Philippines than I did when I lived in south Florida in the States. Its record speaks for itself in that Bacolod City is one of the safest, cleanest, greenest cities in the Philippines, however, there are also other cities in the country which match up fairly well to where we live. Yes, you can go out and go out often. My family and I go out and we really enjoy our life in the Philippines. For the past 27 years, I have read the stories of foreigners being murdered in the Philippines. It is very rare that a foreigner has been randomly murdered just because he is a foreigner. In the Philippines newspapers, the murder of foreigners is reported, however, rarely is there a follow up story unless it is a high profile case. Most of the murdered foreigners that I have followed up on usually involved the foreigner’s involvement with shady characters, involvement in a love triangle, dealing with disgruntled business partners or openly being involved in local politics. If you do not get tangled up in any of those situations, you should not have any problems when you retire to the Philippines, concerning becoming a violent crime victim. Come and enjoy the Islands!
I visited my brother in Bacolod City in Jan.. 2012; I was surprised at the number of security officers around so many places; several were armed; I felt safe while there; in fact, safer than in most places here in the US; I think the US could learn a lesson about the security in the Philippines. Also, while there, I met many Filipinos; they are a very friendly people. I had no problems while I was there.
You are right on the money, Gary, when you stated that the first precautionary measure is to choose very carefully where to retire to. This website and Reekay’s Youtube mentoring videos are incredibly helpful when it comes to such recommendations, not to mention seeking advice from government officials who can pinpoint the safest areas to visit and explore. For those still planning to come to the country, it would be folly for you to settle down right away in the first city or town you happen to pass by.
My husband and I stayed for a week or two in each recommended area. We did diligent research, keenly observing everything in terms of infrastructures, pollution levels, governmental supports, police and fire personnel readiness, sanitation issues, cultural and intellectual stimulations, and quality of electrical and wifi resources.
Now we’re happily residing in a small barangay just outside Lucena City. We have access to the city’s shopping malls and restaurants, moviehouses, public libraries, and its spacious park, including nearby Sariaya’s beach resorts and well-maintained mountain-climbing trails just 45 minutes by car. We also can take the ferry boat to beautiful Marinduque Island. Manila is just 3 hours by car or airconditioned buses. There’s a vibrant academic community in Los Banos, Laguna, enabling us to meet international scholars in our fields.
We feel very safe and tremendously contented and fulfilled. It’s worth all the months of research we’d put in before settling down in a place we now call our safe refuge. If Gary has found in Bacolod his ultimate paradise, we know and we pray that our fellow expats and those still deciding where to put down roots will also find theirs.
Aloha Gary. I am so happy to see this web site. I am 63 of age. First time in PI was 1977.Been there many times. A few years ago I spent a week in Dapitan. . I` ve never had any problems. I treat people with respect. Livin in Honolulu 35 years now. Many Filipinos live on the Islands. I like their style. Was married to a Filipina. Any way. Honolulu is crowded noisy an expensive. Time for me to go. What would be like livin on a small Isle? Maybe Masbate or Bohol? Thanks for any info. Aloha.Norman.
I am retiring to Midinao in a few months and going outside of Cagayan de Oro in a place called Gitagum…any advice for me? I am from USA and a Vietnam veteran and welcome any hints or correspondence with people on that island…I also worked as a freight engineer and conductor on the Norfolk Southern
Hi Keith,
If you are still intending to move over here then maybe the following will help?
The Philippines is a good place to retire to and even though I have only retired here for a few months I found that the locals readily accepted me.however I would like to say the following:-
Firstly; if you have never been there before I would strongly suggest that you take a holiday to acquaint yourself with your chosen area and see if it really suits you.
Secondly; you should decide (asap) how you intend to live in the provinces. By this I mean what type of visa you will use.
There are many types of visa’s you can chose from; each with their own pros and cons. Some visas (like the S.R.R.V that I have) maybe easier for you to process abroad but there are cheaper alternatives.
Thirdly; I would not move to your chosen area straight away but stay in Manila or Cebu, at least for a few weeks. The reason I say this is that the documentation, you will undoubtedly require, may only be accessible from these places.
Finally; please don’t think you will save (money) here, people tend to live within their means no matter where they go and the Philippines is just another location.
Yes there are things that are much cheaper here but then there are things that are much dearer too. If you really want to spend less then perhaps your best route is to find a Filipino partner?
Do they have fiber optic wi-fi in Bacolod City? I am thinking about relocating there from Luzon.
Is Bacolod safe? I watched youtube videos and the prostitutes and wallet snatchers were worse than Manila! Also, Bacolod has the highest rape in the country. And gang graffiti everywhere. They say worse traffic than Manila too?
But I was considering moving there, because it looks quieter and greener than Manila, but still has lot of good jobs for foreigners.