Tourism in the Philippines | Page 2 | World Defense

Tourism in the Philippines

Have you ever been to the Philippines (you can pick more than one)

  • Yes

    Votes: 7 36.8%
  • No

    Votes: 10 52.6%
  • I Plan to

    Votes: 7 36.8%
  • Never want to

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Never will again.

    Votes: 1 5.3%

  • Total voters
    19

cyberpinoy

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I have never been to The Philippines but I have met some Filipinos. Some are good and some are not so good. As for visiting The Philippines, it sounds like an idea but, basically, it's very much like where I live now, so there is no real urgency for me to go there to see things which I can see at home.
I hate to say this but there are way more bad people than good here. I would say about 2% of the people in the Philippines are honest Good people. The rest they are Pinoys, a Pinoy is an opportunists, the one day millionaire mentality with no conscience and do not feel guilty no matter who they scam, steal from or lie to. It would be a waste of your time to come here. You fir the perfect description of exactly who they target. Older male, Foreign and you dress well which to them means you have a lot of money.
 
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I would say about 2% of the people in the Philippines are honest Good people.

Oh, boy, only 2% are good? Then most of the bad guys must have stayed at home. I did meet some Filipinos who are not so good, but these bad guys are in the minority. The majority of the Filipinos I have met are good people. So perhaps there are only 2% good guys left in The Philippines because most of the good guys have left the country.
 

joshua minaya

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Yes I been to the Philippine back in 2007. Its very beautiful country. I visited Manila, Baguio, Boracay and finally Palawan then back to Manila airport> Saudi Airlines> Riyadh. :)


I will certainly love to visit the Philippines at some point during the course of the next two years.
 

Gelsemium

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HAHA I will never forget my first trip to McDonalds here the items available on the menu HAHA you will not find them in USA :0 and Jolibees is not more popular because it tastes better, its more popular because its cheaper food. For me I would rather eat a good hearty McDonalds hamburger rather than those paper thin mostly bread sandwiches Jolibees and all other Filipino hamburger places sell. However I am also about 4 times taller and bigger than any 1 Filipino s i like a good heart meal, and 4 pounds of rice does not constitute a hearty mean for me HAHA. However, I do like Jolibees salisbury steak like meal, 2 patties with mushroom gravy, if now they could replace the rice with mashed potatoes it would be the best meal on thier menu :)

I am guessing that competing with McDonalds they have to lower the prices and in a country without much money that will make all the difference. Some people can only afford them...
 

003

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It's not really among my plans to go to the Philippines because there's just nothing special I feel for it. I don't like travelling to see beautiful spots. I like to travel like in Germany, France or Russia because of the musical figures that I idolise. But if it were not because of them, I think I would just rather spend all my days inside my home where no one else is there to judge me and interfere my habits and question my way of living or culture.
 

Scorpion

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I hate to say this but there are way more bad people than good here. I would say about 2% of the people in the Philippines are honest Good people. The rest they are Pinoys, a Pinoy is an opportunists, the one day millionaire mentality with no conscience and do not feel guilty no matter who they scam, steal from or lie to. It would be a waste of your time to come here. You fir the perfect description of exactly who they target. Older male, Foreign and you dress well which to them means you have a lot of money.

I would have to disagree with you based on my experience Filipinos are good people in general but of course bad apples exist everywhere but to say that the bad are the majority is a bit exaggerated.
 

missbishi

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I would certainly be interested in visiting the Philippines (and Jolibees!) but the problems described in the first post have really discouraged me in the past. Of course, you get people like this in every country, but the media does like to make a meal of the problems here.
 

Nur

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and Jolibees is not more popular because it tastes better, its more popular because its cheaper food.
Nah, man, I'm telling you, it definitely solidified its popularity by tasting better. I'm not talking about now -- now, there are indeed food choices that tastes better in McDo (their fries for example) and food choices that tastes better in Jollibee depending on what you like -- but before McDonald's Filipinized their food, it tasted how I imagined the American McDonald's would taste and I remember as a child I would always choose Jollibee because their spaghetti wasn't Italian-styled. You know, a little sour using tomato source and without the hotdog and ground beef, haha!

For those of you who live in the East - what do you recommend seeing first? For someone who has never been to any Asian nation - what would be the order of places (or countries) to visit and are there any placed to avoid?
Depends on what you want krazyman! Are you looking to see the sites? To relax? To party? The cities aren't good places to relax but the booze is cheap, the malls are HUUUGE and practically everywhere, and there are always all-night bars to drink yourself dead in. If you're more into beaches, well. We've got 7,107 islands here. I'm sure there's be some to your liking, hehe.

I hate to say this but there are way more bad people than good here. I would say about 2% of the people in the Philippines are honest Good people.
I am usually a polite person, yeah? But could you kindly -- just kindly -- not generalize the 110M people living in this country as 2% good, 98% bad as if you've met every single one of us. Yeah? Like, my experience with white expats living here have been that 100% of them are douches and think they're better than this Third World country with its Third World citizens and think their lowkey racism is okay because they live here now and we need to conform to them even when they were the ones who chose to live here. Seriously. No exceptions. Even those that seemed kind at first would let their casual quips of racism slip like, "Well, the Philippines is a poor country so obviously you wouldn't know this [thing that I and other Filipinos actually do know; we read books and have access to internet hello]," or more obvious things like, "Well what do you expect, I'm living in this dump country that can't even have something as simple as good internet," when their Skype connection had to be restarted.

But I would obviously not automatically think that every new expat I'll meet is a douche considering I've never talked to them yet. I don't know them. I can't judge them based on my experiences on the actual people I have met. So kindly limit your generalizations to yourself please. You can be critical of this country and its people without diminishing us to this caricature.
 

KimberlyD

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I have a lot of Filipino friends and they are always telling me how beautiful it is there. I would love to visit but I am not fond of tropical areas. I have seen pictures of the area (not the tourist ones, but the ones take by the people) and it looks amazing. I especially like the small simple villages there.
 

cyberpinoy

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I am usually a polite person, yeah? But could you kindly -- just kindly -- not generalize the 110M people living in this country as 2% good, 98% bad as if you've met every single one of us. Yeah? Like, my experience with white expats living here have been that 100% of them are douches and think they're better than this Third World country with its Third World citizens and think their lowkey racism is okay because they live here now and we need to conform to them even when they were the ones who chose to live here. Seriously. No exceptions. Even those that seemed kind at first would let their casual quips of racism slip like, "Well, the Philippines is a poor country so obviously you wouldn't know this [thing that I and other Filipinos actually do know; we read books and have access to internet hello]," or more obvious things like, "Well what do you expect, I'm living in this dump country that can't even have something as simple as good internet," when their Skype connection had to be restarted..

This is a very VERY common response from Filipinos who can not stand it when truth is brought about their culture, They absolutely hate it when people tell the truth, and always use the Generalization crap on us. The bottom line is If you dont like it CHANGE IT. dont let your neighbors rip foreigners off, stop scamming them, stop looking at them as an ATM. Start putting as much into changing your peoples ways of scamming conning and stealing from foreigners as you do in defending their actions with this generalization crap.

Don't get mad at us because the truth hurts and you don't like it.

Just the other day my wife heard the lady down the street complaining because I dont spend money in her store, she told her nephews and grandchildren (who are my age) Not to associate with em because I am not a retired pensioner and I wont spend money in their store, and you know what, they did it, all because they think I wont give them money.

You seem to have much more generalization than I do in your post, yet you complain an awful lot about it.



But I would obviously not automatically think that every new expat I'll meet is a douche considering I've never talked to them yet. I don't know them. I can't judge them based on my experiences on the actual people I have met. So kindly limit your generalizations to yourself please. You can be critical of this country and its people without diminishing us to this caricature.

SO NUR lets be completely honest here and rest your little temper tantrum of defense let me tell you exactly what has happened to me and you tell us what we should thin and feel about it. ( I already know his answer HAHA)

Every single person we hired to work on helping us build our home and business wanted paid up front and refused to work if we didn't , and then would skip out before their job was done, the ones that didn't skip out had commission contracts with product supply stores and would build a section and say they made a mistake so they would have to tear that out and buy more products to re-do what they were already paid to do once.

Employees we hired and paid 1.8 times the going minimum wage for our area stole products form us, cash from us and when were caught on camera the police would not prosecute because I was a foreigner and it would not be right to prosecute a filipino for stealing from a foreigner. My friend who was there for another reason at the time overheard them talking and translated what they were saying as we walked out together. I mean how much more proof do you need than a CCTV camera.

The residents of the community ADULTS and even Tanod children stole products from our store, a lot, I mean a lot they would buy 20 pesos worth of stuff and steal 300 pesos.

My wife and I had 3 businesses and our house burned to the ground, because the captain of our barangay was involved, our businesses were in competition with 3 of his friends business. The people who were involved and responsible for the crime were never ever punished and made to accept responsibility.

After the place was burned to the ground all the Filipinos in town decided they would trespass and steal as much copper, metal and burned plastic as they could in order to sell it and put money in their pocket. (Mind you we lived right across for the Tanod Station where the captain and his band of misfits sat drank and watched it all)

There is a lot more I just dont feel like typing it :( sorry.

Out of 130 people we have conducted business with in any aspect of business in this country 1 person has came thru did what he promised and conducted himself ethically and non judgmentally against me and my wallet. Add my experiences with my friends in Manila, Cebu, Butuan and outerlying provinces around them and the numbers get worse and worse leaving you with 2% good and 98% bad.
 

nutshell

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Hi cyberpinoy. Sorry to hear about your bad experiences with Filipinos. I guess you're just in the wrong place in the Philippines. Where have you experienced all these? While it is true that Filipinos can really double or triple their wares to foreigners, not everyone is like that. There are still a lot more honest Filipinos. That's why I feel bad that you have such bad experiences with most of us. If I were you, I would go to a reliable shop or store like SM to buy your stuff. Surely, you have heard of that there being in the country for 4 years, you said somewhere in this thread? Anyway, they have fixed prices and can't just change their price tags to gain profit for themselves. Unless you have a reliable Filipino friend who can haggle and do business with people from your community, don't try to do it yourself. You seem to have no trusted Filipino friend based on your stories, so maybe, try to gain the camaraderie and rapport of your neighbors. Simple gestures like sharing some food with them or smiling at them or greeting them in our language (now this really means a lot to us) can earn you "pogi" points. This is how the game is played especially if you live in a tightly knit community or town. Townspeople can treat you badly based on how you treat them, especially when you seem to be acting more superior or bragging, they don't like it at all. Now, I am not saying that's how you treat them but I am just telling you the psyche of how things work among neighbors in Filipino communities. It is possible that they're ripping you off or treating you badly because of a bad attitude you have shown towards some and this somehow got around so they are like ganging up on you. I maybe wrong on this but this can also be a possibility. "Pakikisama" or camaraderie is greatly valued by Filipinos. If you still do not know our language or the dialect of the town where you live, it will help if you and your wife learn it. This will not only help your way in but will protect you from any dishonest schemes of people you transact with.

I hope I've helped you somehow. Good luck to you and your wife. I hope to hear happy stories from you someday.
 

cyberpinoy

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Hi cyberpinoy. Sorry to hear about your bad experiences with Filipinos. I guess you're just in the wrong place in the Philippines. Where have you experienced all these? While it is true that Filipinos can really double or triple their wares to foreigners, not everyone is like that. There are still a lot more honest Filipinos. That's why I feel bad that you have such bad experiences with most of us. If I were you, I would go to a reliable shop or store like SM to buy your stuff. Surely, you have heard of that there being in the country for 4 years, you said somewhere in this thread? Anyway, they have fixed prices and can't just change their price tags to gain profit for themselves. Unless you have a reliable Filipino friend who can haggle and do business with people from your community, don't try to do it yourself. You seem to have no trusted Filipino friend based on your stories, so maybe, try to gain the camaraderie and rapport of your neighbors. Simple gestures like sharing some food with them or smiling at them or greeting them in our language (now this really means a lot to us) can earn you "pogi" points. This is how the game is played especially if you live in a tightly knit community or town. Townspeople can treat you badly based on how you treat them, especially when you seem to be acting more superior or bragging, they don't like it at all. Now, I am not saying that's how you treat them but I am just telling you the psyche of how things work among neighbors in Filipino communities. It is possible that they're ripping you off or treating you badly because of a bad attitude you have shown towards some and this somehow got around so they are like ganging up on you. I maybe wrong on this but this can also be a possibility. "Pakikisama" or camaraderie is greatly valued by Filipinos. If you still do not know our language or the dialect of the town where you live, it will help if you and your wife learn it. This will not only help your way in but will protect you from any dishonest schemes of people you transact with.

I hope I've helped you somehow. Good luck to you and your wife. I hope to hear happy stories from you someday.
To be honest If I had 10 pesos for everytime I heard this and then turn around and see the paople saying scamming someone or doing something just down right unethical I would literally be rich. It happened in Mindanao near Butuan. We have moved away from Butuan, but we still experience these things. My wife ju7st had an alteration the other day with a rude money hungry filipina. There is no SM in cabadbaran or Butuan. Butuan just got a robinsons and thay always has a gaysano, but Butuan was a 1 hour bus ride form our home.

Yea your theories all did not work, giving them stuff just makes them want more, smiling at them gives them the wrong impression, and when i speak to them in basayan they dont understand me. But I can say i tried all of that. Our store actually had the cheapest Beer in all of the Philippines. San Miguel reps came down from manila to express how we needed to raise our prices because no one in the whole country of the Philippines sells beer as cheapo as we do and the neighbors were complaining because our prices were to low.

I treated these peole "TOWNSPEOLE" with respect and kindness, they did not care, they treatd me with offensive rude behavior, they stole from me, lied to me, scammed me, Respect is a 2 way street and filipinos need to get that thru their mind, If you want respect you best learn how to give respect. Becasue clearly being the nicer person in the situation and doing the things you mention only cost me and my wife everything we worked for in our marriage for over 8 years, and might I add we worked 100 times harder than the filipinos who stoler from us and burned our life down. We worked in America sometimes 32 hours straight in our business to have what they destrioysd in 30 minutes. Making excuses for them no longer works for me. Enough is enough and I have had my fill with how we as foreigners should treat people who want to scam us, steal from us and use us as an ATM. to be honest maybe its time the Filipinos learn how not to kick a gift horse in the mouth.

Sorry to be so blunt but today was a bad day for me to read this as an ignorant filipino is trying so hard to scam me out of 12,000 pesos she is willing to have a summons on me to go in front of the barangay and prove she is in the wrong by the laws in your own country. This woman is breaking her own laws and wants to take me to court. that how outrageous some filipinos can be. If you catch them in their scams they want to try and summons you in so hopefully the barangay will siude with them as filipinos and not abide by the laws. Unfortunately I know your laws , sometimes even better than filipinos., I know my rights and I know the barangay has to uphold the laws. This person will not expect me to pull the 3 laws she is breaking out in the summons and have it dismissed.
 

hijin

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Now I had to Google jollibee and in fact they do resemble like McDonalds lol, just the Philippine version of it!

Jollibee-new-store-outlet.jpg

Ah, Jollibee is so cute <3> ! I remembered one story a classmate back in primary grade once told us. The mascot was strolling around in the mall to play with the kids. My classmate approached the mascot and poke its butt, so the mascot ran after her. I could only imagine her trauma.
 

Gelsemium

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Yep, it does look good lol! I love mascots, my kids love to sit on the McDonalds clown and in fact it's really smart marketing because those mascots and toys attract families to the restaurants.
 

nutshell

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To be honest If I had 10 pesos for everytime I heard this and then turn around and see the paople saying scamming someone or doing something just down right unethical I would literally be rich. It happened in Mindanao near Butuan. We have moved away from Butuan, but we still experience these things. My wife ju7st had an alteration the other day with a rude money hungry filipina. There is no SM in cabadbaran or Butuan. Butuan just got a robinsons and thay always has a gaysano, but Butuan was a 1 hour bus ride form our home.

Yea your theories all did not work, giving them stuff just makes them want more, smiling at them gives them the wrong impression, and when i speak to them in basayan they dont understand me. But I can say i tried all of that. Our store actually had the cheapest Beer in all of the Philippines. San Miguel reps came down from manila to express how we needed to raise our prices because no one in the whole country of the Philippines sells beer as cheapo as we do and the neighbors were complaining because our prices were to low.

I treated these peole "TOWNSPEOLE" with respect and kindness, they did not care, they treatd me with offensive rude behavior, they stole from me, lied to me, scammed me, Respect is a 2 way street and filipinos need to get that thru their mind, If you want respect you best learn how to give respect. Becasue clearly being the nicer person in the situation and doing the things you mention only cost me and my wife everything we worked for in our marriage for over 8 years, and might I add we worked 100 times harder than the filipinos who stoler from us and burned our life down. We worked in America sometimes 32 hours straight in our business to have what they destrioysd in 30 minutes. Making excuses for them no longer works for me. Enough is enough and I have had my fill with how we as foreigners should treat people who want to scam us, steal from us and use us as an ATM. to be honest maybe its time the Filipinos learn how not to kick a gift horse in the mouth.

Sorry to be so blunt but today was a bad day for me to read this as an ignorant filipino is trying so hard to scam me out of 12,000 pesos she is willing to have a summons on me to go in front of the barangay and prove she is in the wrong by the laws in your own country. This woman is breaking her own laws and wants to take me to court. that how outrageous some filipinos can be. If you catch them in their scams they want to try and summons you in so hopefully the barangay will siude with them as filipinos and not abide by the laws. Unfortunately I know your laws , sometimes even better than filipinos., I know my rights and I know the barangay has to uphold the laws. This person will not expect me to pull the 3 laws she is breaking out in the summons and have it dismissed.

Try other provinces then or cities. Butuan is just one of the over 30 cities in Mindanao. Davao is the biggest city there and the most progressive so perhaps, people are too. I haven't been anywhere in Mindanao so I cannot tell how people there are. That's why I used the term "perhaps".

Mindanao is just one of the three major islands in the Philippines. The other two are Luzon and Visayas. Of the three, Luzon is the biggest while Visayas, the smallest. And each island has distinct customs, religions and dialects. Since your experiences happened in Mindanao which is a big island and as you've said in Butuan City even when you've moved away from it, you cannot truly say that only 2% of people in the Philippines are honest. If you've limited it to those you've encountered then that's more acceptable. So the rest that you've said about respect and all that we have to learn will also be limited to people you've met not to all Filipinos. But I don't want to argue with you on this.

As a Filipino, I am just trying to help you sort your concerns in my country even though you have already made sweeping generalizations. My family and I are also based abroad so I understand how an expat feels when treated unfairly. We also have our own challenges where we are right now. But since we decided to live here for about 7 years now, we try to make things more livable and happier for us. So I sincerely hope you'll find a way to sort your problems in the most positive way possible.
 
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