Thread: Pretty Good in Puerto Galera (Sept 2016)

^If PB ever decides to go to PG, then I wouldn't advise her to explore the hills. Just White Beach or Sabang Beach. Or chill at Badladz in Muelle Pier. Why would she want to go to the hills? Even I wouldn't want to go there.

As to the South, the area that is referred to is Mindanao island. That's the South - majorly Muslim area. Mindanao is in a state of Martial Law now, because of the fighting in Marawi city. I wouldn't advise anyone to go there, and am aware of the travel advisories by embassies.

As to Bohol, Cebu, Dumaguete - the islands PB referred to, these are not considered as South. They are in the Visayas region, which is considered as Central Phils. There's even a uni, Central Visayas State Uni. See a map.

^Okay cheers for the info, and to Chico as well.
I have a friend that teaches in Cebu and another friend who just bought a house in Cebu. I definitely want to fly there and check out nearby islands..any recommendations?

ask the two Canadians if it's safe.

phew I'm sure if you ask Davis he could put you straight he's in the security business

Beggars belief how little you know about your own country.

@PB - PG is in an island (Mindoro island) south of Manila, but it's not considered as southern Phils. Southern Phils refers to Mindanao island. Davao city is in Mindano - that's where Pres. Duterte is from. Go check it on a map, see for yourself. Or you could beliwve Chico's fear- mongering.

If your friends are in Cebu, you could do Cebu & Bohol provinces, if you have around a week. There are ferries shuttling ppl (catamarans, accdg to my boss who's from there). From Manila, fly into Cebu, then go to Bohol, fly out of Bohol, or vice versa.

In Cebu city, you could see the sights (takes 1-2 days). Or go to Oslob town to see the butanding (whales). In Bohol, there's the Loboc river tour, also a wildlife sanctuary with tarsiers. Or you could stay at Alona beach - it's nice & a chill place, accdg to a friend.

Re: Bohol, BLD has a pic thread on it. "Banca, beach babes" or similar. He brought his family to Boracay & Bohol.

The Visayas region - where Cebu & Bohol are - is mostly Christian, and should be safe. I haven't read the article abt the Canadians, but I'm guessing that they went to Mindanao.

^Cheers, katie.
I see that most pic threads are missing pics now that pb made a switch.

Terrorism

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in the Philippines. Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and have the capacity and the intent to carry out attacks at any time and anywhere in the country, including in the capital Manila and in places visited by foreigners, such as airports, shopping malls, public transport, including the metro system and places of worship. Attacks have been carried out using improvised explosive devices and small arms.

Explosions occurred in the Quiapo area of Manila on 28 April and 6 May 2017, resulting in fatalities. The motive for these attacks remains unclear.

On 28 November 2016, an improvised explosive device was found close to the US embassy in Manila. The device was made safe by police. Explosions at a boxing match in Hilongos, Leyte (Visayas) injured over 30 people on 28 December 2016.

There are several terrorist groups operating in the Philippines that continue to pose a threat. These groups include: New People’s Army (NPA), the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and other associated groups. Elements within the two main insurgent groups, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), continue to pose a security threat. A splinter group of the MILF, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), has been responsible for a number of attacks on the Philippine military and security services. Some groups have pledged allegiance to Daesh (formally referred to as ISIL) and are likely to regard westerners as legitimate targets.

Commercial shipping companies have been advised to adopt heightened vigilance when navigating the Sulu and Celebes Sea. The Regional Co-operation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) advise all ships to re-route from the area where possible. Most maritime incidents occur in the Sulu Sea in the area between Mindanao, the Sulu archipelago, Palawan and Sabah (Malaysia). Boats travelling to and from offshore islands and dive sites are possible targets.

Civilian targets in Mindanao have been attacked and there remains a heightened threat of attacks throughout the Mindanao island group. A bomb attack on a market in Davao City killed more than a dozen people on 2 September 2016. An explosion in Aleosan, North Cotabato injured 6 people on 29 December 2016.

Terrorist groups have threatened to attack passenger ferries and other vessels, particularly those operating from Mindanao. You should avoid using public transport throughout Mindanao.

There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time.

Find out more about the global threat from terrorism, how to minimise your risk and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack.

Kidnapping
Kidnapping could occur anywhere. There’s been an increase in kidnapping of foreign nationals since late 2015, with a number of new cases involving terrorist groups. Some hostages, including foreign nationals, have been murdered. It’s likely that terrorist groups continue to plan kidnap operations against western nationals in the region.

This threat extends throughout the Philippines, both on land and at sea, but is particularly acute in the southern Philippines. This includes Mindanao, the Sulu archipelago, Palawan and central Visayas region, including Siquijor and Dumaguete, and extends to coastal resorts, dive sites, and offshore areas in the nearby waters of the Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea.

Foreigners have been targeted in rural, urban and coastal areas, on private boats, in marinas and resorts. The threat of kidnapping isn’t confined to terrorist strongholds, and kidnaps may be opportunistic. Kidnap groups have sought to expand their reach including by working with affiliates to abduct foreign nationals from one area of the Philippines before transporting the victims to another.

In May 2017, the Philippines authorities reported that they had received unsubstantiated but credible information that the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf may be about to conduct kidnaps in the Sulu Sea, including around the island of the Sulu archipelago (Philippines) and the seas/islands off the east coast of Sabah (Malaysia). Any vessels sailing in the area could be targeted. You should carefully consider travel plans and be especially vigilant at this time.

On 9 May 2017, the US Embassy in Manila advised its citizens it had received “credible information that terrorist groups may be planning to conduct kidnapping operations targeting foreign national in the areas of Palawan Province, Philippines, to include Puerto Princesa City, and the areas surrounding Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park”. You should carefully consider travel plans, and be especially vigilant in these areas.

On 11 and 12 April 2017, Philippine authorities clashed with heavily armed individuals in Inabanga, Bohol, resulting in fatalities. This was in response to information that a group was planning to conduct kidnappings in the area.

Commercial shipping companies have been advised to adopt heightened vigilance when navigating the Sulu and Celebes Seas. Most maritime incidents occur in the Sulu Sea in the area between Mindanao, the Sulu archipelago, Palawan and Sabah (Malaysia). The Regional Co-operation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) advise all ships to re-route from the area where possible.

The long-standing policy of the British government is not to make substantive concessions to hostage takers. The British government considers that paying ransoms and releasing prisoners increases the risk of further hostage taking.

Martial law is in place in the south these organizations are on the move constantly and move from island to island and to the main land it ain't even started yet in the phils, you truly are kidding yourself.

They strike where and how they want.

^Just insane...
I often speak to a friend who visits north of Manilla quite often as her father is the principal of a school there. She tells me that over the last few months, that people will rob and kill foreigners more than ever before due to the violence that you are talking about. She told me not to visit there at the moment.

I've got a friend who lives there, and he says we ain't hearing half the stuff that's going on, he seriously thinking of moving on.

Go to Myanmar try the Phils when it gets sorted which maybe never.

[QUOTE=katie23;3602540]


I

Re: Bohol, BLD has a pic thread on it. "Banca, beach babes" or similar. He brought his family to Boracay /QUOTE]All.of my pics will disappear soon. Got an email from.photobucket telling me that as a paying customer my account will be grandfathered when it comes up to renewal. I will.see what they are offering but if it's anywhere close the the $399.they have been demanding then they can get fucked. Of to china for 11 days on Wednesday. Might try imgur for my pics. If it to hard then maybe not. Never managed to get my head around the gallery on TD

It's scary here. Everyone should stay home.

Puts me right of returning. NOT

^You were exempt in my warning.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

It's scary here. Everyone should stay home.

I'll still visit, thanks.

It's OK Davis has his arsenal of weapons.

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

Puts me right of returning. NOT

They don't just want your Handbag there.

White Beach @ Puerto Galera

Stay safe. Keep a low profile. Might keep you relatively safe if you travel from resort to resort via package instead of legging everything.

^thanks for the pics, Tizme. My pics on this thread (and others) are all gone, due to the Photobucket purge earlier this year.

Re: Puerto Galera and Boracay, it's peak season again since schools will be out soon due to the Christmas holidays.

Again, if anyone wants to go to PG, just take a bus, taxi or Grab/Uber from Manila to the Batangas city port. Bus fare from Manila costs ~200 PHP/pax, one way. You'll be safe in PG as long as you stay in the touristy areas - White Beach, Sabang Beach or Muelle pier. When I was there, I saw some white expats drinking beer at a watering hole near white beach.

When I made this thread, it was 47.5 PHP = 1 USD. Now it's ~51 PHP = 1 USD. That's the Duterte admin.... Rates are good for expats & OFWs + their families, but not for ordinary Pinoys...

I go to Mindoro quite frequently as my GF comes from there.

Many of the towns that we visit I'm the only white face for miles.
Even trecked up to visit some Mangyan tribes.
At 191cm its difficult to just blend in, but I've never had any hint of a problem.

Originally Posted by katie23

When I made this thread, it was 47.5 PHP = 1 USD. Now it's ~51 PHP = 1 USD. That's the Duterte admin.... Rates are good for expats & OFWs + their families, but not for ordinary Pinoys...

And I appreciate it.....

I'm uploading again some old pics from my PG trip, for reference. They were purged during the "Photobucket fiasco" last year.

Batangas port

The boat to PG

Approaching the island & disembarking from boat at Muelle Pier

Stayed at this place - Badladz Dive Resort, 3 min walk from Muelle Pier