Still want to visit the Philippines?

[GWMinUS]

I travel to the Philippines quite often.
Usually I now go to Cebu City but in the past I have been to several places on Mindanao.
Specifically Davao, Cagayan do Oro, General Santos, and even some out of the way places.
I have always felt very safe traveling there. But of course you do need to be careful.
My Husband and I are visiting Charleston, SC, USA in September. And on several of the web sites they say it is very safe there but observe common sense. Do not stroll down dark back alleys by yourself.
The Philippines Government has just launched a major offensive again the Abu Saif "rebels" on Sulu Island. I read 15,000 troops. In response to the two beheading. Not sure if it will make a difference since the "rebels" can easily hide in the mountains and small villages.
Anyway, I feel it is More Fun in the Philippines. And the guys are handsome, hot, and friendly!!
GWM

[fountainhall]

Democracy in the Philippines works in weird and pretty ghastly ways when it comes to Presidential politics. The electorate rarely pays attention to issues, instead voting in charismatic people who end up as murdering dictators, thieving actors, corrupt judges etc. At least in the most recent poll, they had an idea who they were electing - a loud-mouthed, shoot-from-the-hip mayor who likes the idea of murder before the evidence is on the table. At his inauguration yesterday, President Duarte ranted against drug dealers and drug traffickers. So far so good. But like Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, he just cannot keep his mouth shut when he is on a roll. He quickly added -

“If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful.”

And this paragon of political virtue went on to say there was one good business his people should open - setting up funeral parlours.

“I assure you you won’t go bankrupt. If your business slows I will tell the police, ‘Do it faster to help the people earn money’.”

So the Filipinos have done it again. Once this joker is jailed or bumped off, wait for the born-again homophobic pugilist Manny Pacquiao to be elected in his place. My money's on him!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...l-drug-addicts

[Nirish guy]

Unfortunately I fear you are quite right as my PH BF and his family ( who all live here in the UK and should know better) think the sun shines out of BOTH those guys asses.

We had a massive row one evening when I pointed out that they were merely replacing one dictator with another etc and that the drug dealers he was shooting today would be replaced with him shooting his political enemies tomorrow / when it suited him, but was firmly told that I had NO idea what I was talking about and as I didn't live there that this guy was akin to the saviour of all poor flipinos and that he would ( and I quote) "make their country great again" ( sound familiar !)

We actually had to agree to disagree and leave it as it caused a row for about 3 days every time it came up. I still point to news quotes such as the ones you've included above and say "YOU SEE !" To which they smile and say "YES, you see, he's helping our country already". There's not much you can say to that except shake your head in pity and move on.

As we're seeing here in the UK of late I guess sometimes you really do get the politicians you deserve.

Mind you as the whole political scene in the PHS is rotten to the core anyway with masses of votes being physically bought for hard cash in the poor areas etc democracy is only something that's merely hinted at when it suits I think anyway. Note the resurgence of the Marcos clan in recent elections to show THAT fact up as I doubt older people's memories there are THAT short - or maybe they are I don't know.

Likewise re Manny the boxer who could do no wrong, thankfully his homophobic outbursts have convinced my BF he's a nasty piece of work, but his family, nooooo Manny is still just one step down from God himself still. Says a lot about what they think of their gay son I guess.

Mind you I can't talk as my own mother would probably vote for him too as he's " a good God fearing man" etc etc - I really do despair with the world sometimes :-(

[GWMinUS]

And yet both my BF and his very religious family all think the guy is great and just what they need to turn the Philippines and their family fortunes around - I'm guessing he's their Donald Trump guy - GOD FORBID I tell them, but we'll / they'll find out soon enough I guess.

Yes, after enjoying visits to the Philippines for over 12 years, I am totally dismayed about the actions of Pres Duterte. Today he called Pres Obama "The Son of a Bitch". He is totally out of control.
SO I am rethinking my plans to visit the Philippines in February. Rather spend my US Dollars when they are not spit upon by the President!!

OH and sad to say there was a bombing in Davao this last Friday. 14 killed and over 67 injured.
And now it comes out the Mayor and Police knew of the threat two days before it happened and gave no notice to the public.

Maybe you should rethink traveling there...
GWMinUS

[Nirish guy]

To be fair to that loud mouth Duterte whilst he certainly got carried away with his mouth ( as usual) I'm not actually sure that he DID call the President anything as I think his comment was more directed at the reporter/s after he'd told them he wasn't answering political questions at that news conference and then they went ahead and asked him one - and it was late at night and I do think he was pissed off with the reporter - not that thats any excuse of course - but say what he will it seems his people LOVE him and he can do no wrong.

When he first got voted in and started his "kill them" nonsense I said to my Flipino BF "omg what have you elected" and he launched into how I'd no idea what I was talking about and how he was a man of the people and would "save them" etc, we actually had quite a row about that and how he was disregarding the rule of law and how no good could come of that in the long term etc, but no, I'd no idea what I was talking about. I now ( with glee) point out each and every mistake the guy makes ( like calling the Pope the son of a whore too - and them SUCH a catholic country ( when it suits) - but again no, in the eyes of my BF ( and his wider family) the man can do no wrong and every bad piece of press about him is just the Flipino press ( who are owned by his enemies and are against the people accordingly to my bf ( he might have a point there ) are just pushing bad stories against their wonderful President.

So as I keep telling him "ok, whatever you think, just watch this space as my I told you so is on it's way, it's only a matter of when !"

[cdnmatt]

No offense NIrish, but when the leader of a country calls the US President a "son of a bitch" on national / international TV, it's a little tough to defend them.

[Nirish guy]

My point ( and that of several people who speak tagalog) is that he actually DIDN'T, he was referring to the reporters - of course absolutely stupid to even come out with Obamas name in the same breath but again he actually didn't it was the reporter who brought Obama up. Don't get me wrong the guy is one loose cannon and I can see no good coming from his Presidency, but in this particular case I do think he's being misrepresented a little - which his own apology backs up - i.e. not that he called Obama that but that there was room for confusion that he might have.

[cdnmatt]

On the flip side, you could easily argue "son of a bitch" is exactly what he meant, especially after his previous tirade the day before about how he's not an American puppet, and blah, blah, blah...

I'd say instead of the "he didn't actually mean it that way" argument, it could be much easier argued that's exactly what he meant to say, but after the fact once he realized the shit storm it caused decided to try and recant, and thought to himself, "whoops, shouldn't have said that".

It's like trying to defend Trump by saying, "well, he said some Mexicans are probably good people".

[Nirish guy]

I'm not defending him, I'm repeating what he DID actually say and not what the press reported he said, which apparently in Tagalog was quite different and quite obviously aimed at the reporters than he western press reported - thats all - the man is still an egomaniac, loud mouth but is this case I think he being misquoted somewhat as to who he was aiming his comments at.

Its a bit of a moot point anyway as the damage is done internationally already, I would however add that the Flipino populace STILL think the sun shines out of his ass it seems even AFTER his little outburst, so it hasn't damaged him at home much by the looks of it - well not YET anyway.

[fountainhall]

Mind you as the whole political scene in the PHS is rotten to the core anyway with masses of votes being physically bought for hard cash in the poor areas etc democracy is only something that's merely hinted at when it suits I think anyway.

Right on! Virtually since independence politics and the economy there has been controlled by a handful of unbelievably-rich families. Yet there is something in the Filipino mentality that admires outward gung-ho macho strength no matter how loud-mouthed and shoot-from-the-hip. It's rather like they superimpose on to fifth-raters like Duterte the characteristics of Superman, Ironman, Spiderman and all the rest. Yet this idiot still enjoys an approval rating in the region of 90%. It really makes you think again about Churchill's comment about democracy being the worst form of government - except for all the others. I even sometimes wonder if it would be better if that quote had omitted the last 5 words!!