Safety Tips in City of Manila

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When you are in Manila, you have to be careful of your safety especially against pickpockets and theft which can happen especially when the locals spot a foreigner. Try not to wonder around unless you have local friends to bring you around as they know which are the more dangerous places. In order to visit the attractions, you can go for an organised day trip. If you want to visit a particular place, get a taxi from your hotel and then ask the driver to pick you up at a certain place and time so that you can ensure of reliable transport back to your hotel.

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When you are departing from Manila, do go to the Ninoy Aquino Airport at least 2-3 hours beforehand due to lots of waiting because of security checks. You have to queue up to enter the airport as no other people other than passengers are allowed, so get your plane ticket and passport ready for checking. Also, the airport is not very big and usually very crowded, so do be careful. Sometimes you cannot even find a seat at the waiting area before boarding your plane.

1) Never publicly display big bills when opening your wallet to pay for merchandise
2)Except when you're going to the malls or other places where you'll need your credit cards, I recommend that you leave your credit cards in your hotel vault and just use a wallet with only enough bills & a separate coin purse for your small change when you go to crowded places. Otherwise, if you're more secure bringing them with you, be sure to keep them in a secret pocket or compartment of your bag.

Please be aware of your surroundings especially when traveling in Divisoria market, Chinatown, Roxas boulevard, Rizal Park, in taking the trains- MRT, LRT 1, LRT2, in Pasay City... or to any place that is too crowded... because it may be too late for you to know that your phone inside your pocket or bag was already gone!

also please don't wear any valuables- genuine gold earrings, ring, etc. these attract the snatchers very much! just be simple wherever you may go.

for any emergencies/life threatening cases, you can call the 24/7 Philippine National Police (PNP) dial 117.

for non-emergencies: type "PNP " and send to 2920

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Beware of the typhoon season (usually from June to September) in Manila as this could wreak havoc to your holidays. The typhoons in the Philippines can be deadly causing floods and destruction. Also, the weather can be very hot during certain parts of the year, which happened when I visited in April 2006.

Cops in Manila Stop tourists at night and control the Passengers if they have ID. Especially around Manila Bay .They harass them and threaten that they will take the person find with no ID to the station, the fine to be of 2500 pesos. The plan is to determine the tourist or their local companion to pay up a minimum of 2000 pesos to get let go. A scam I think. They may work with the Taxi driver. The Cops claim that there is a Manila Ordinance that requires all passengers in a taxi to have IDs…… DO NOT PAY There is no such Ordinance. Or, at list find out if there is first. Take note of the Cops Badge, Name and ID number as well as the license plate of the White Jeep they drive.

I just heard over the radio that the brother of a popular local actor was victimized by the Ativan gang. He was found unconscious, and when he came to, he realized that his wallet and expensive cell phone was stolen.

Because of this incident, I thought of forewarning travelers, especially the male foreigners about the Ativan Gang. Their modus operandi is like this: A beautiful, decent-looking lady will befriend you at a bar (even a restaurant or coffee shop!), and when you're not looking, your drink is laced with Ativan drug. You'll feel groggy and eventually unconscious. Because the people around saw you and the lady engaged in conversation earlier, they will assume you know each other and won't suspect anything when she helps you out of the place. Sometimes, she would call her male companions to help carry you. You will wake up in a motel or park or alley, stripped of your cash and valuables, and sometimes, even your clothes are taken so you couldn't go out to ask for help.

Female tourists are sometimes victimized, too. Modus operandi: A "friendly" woman approaches her while shopping in a mall and offers to bring her to real bargain places, but first, she treats her to a local cuisine restaurant to win the lady tourist's trust...That's how far the lady tourist would recall her encounter with the mysteious woman who by then, would have stashed her wallet and valuables. Waiters had thought the tourist fainted and her companion left to call their driver to bring her to the hospital, but she never returned.

The Ativan gang not only preys on foreigners. The son of my friend went to a bar to de-stress after work. A beautiful, young lady wearing an exclusive girls' school uniform approached him, and came up with a sob story, that she ran away from her strict parents, and that she approached him because he looked like a decent guy who won't take advantage of her. Having pity on her, he brought her to a restaurant and fed her, and gave her some advise to reconcile with her parents. After dinner, the girl thanked him, and asked for some money for taxi fare. She hailed a taxi and...that's how far he remembers. He had lost consciousness, and woke up half-naked in a motel; his wallet, laptap and cell phone were already gone. The following day, he received a call in his office, and was shocked that he was being blackmailed by the girl who threatened to pass on their sex video to the cell phones of his parents, boss and colleagues. It's a long, harrowing story after that.

Be forewarned!

Like any other big city in countries in the world, there are things you might consider to avoid problems/danger. Malate Manila is an area to watch out. There are policemen in uniform who may try to approach foreign nationals and may ask about passports, documents etc. They sometimes ask questions like "what are you doing in the Philippines? Are you a tourist? Where are you going? Where do you stay? These questions are typical questions that you only hear when you apply for VISA to another country. I find it ridiculous! After asking those questions, they will ask you to come with them to the police station. If you are innocent and have done no harm, you might get irritated and argue or you may simply wonder why the hell are you being asked! This is actually a trap. Extortion! Dont come with them. Give a friendly gesture and say that they have to come with you to the hotel or where you are staying. This way you avoid being cornered. You never know what will happen if you join/come with them. NEVER! Pretend that you call someone by using your cellphone asap! Go to crowded area and get help.
I have a tourist friend who was victim of this. He was quick to find a way to trick them! It is sad that these policemen (may be pretending to be) are harrassing tourists in my country. Taxi driver dilema is easy to deal with but people who are armed can harm you. It can be anywhere so watch out the streets carefully while you walk.