No Safe Place Abroad?

Irony alert!  Incoming! The DFA has issued travel tips for Filipinos travelling abroad which state "No place is completely safe from people who try to take advantage of others." 

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/170164/dfa-says-no-safe-place-abroad-gives-tips-travelers

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) advises all Filipinos traveling overseas to exercise caution and vigilance when visiting key tourist destinations. No place is completely safe from people who try to take advantage of others, and tourists have a tendency to lower their guard while sightseeing. Filipino travelers should therefore be aware of petty crime incidents that normally spike during peak tourist seasons. 

To avoid falling victim to thieves, pickpockets, snatchers, scammers, and other petty criminals, as well as being inconvenienced during their travels, Filipinos are reminded of the following: 

• Be mindful of and respect local laws and regulations;

• Always keep alert in crowded areas such as popular tourist spots, airports, bus, train and metro stations, markets and shopping areas, large sports and concert venues, and onboard public transportation, among others, where petty criminals tend to congregate;

• Be wary of con artists who use a variety of tactics to distract tourists while accomplices gain access to one’s personal items;

• Be careful of one’s belongings. Never leave items that may easily be picked up, such as wallets, mobile phones and cameras, unattended. Always keep these close to you, especially in crowded areas;

• As much as possible, distribute your cash, credit cards, important documents and other valuables in separate compartments in your bag; and

• Keep both hard and electronic copies of your passport, IDs, credit cards and important documents handy while on travel.

Filipinos whose passports get lost or stolen should immediately secure a Police Report and contact the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy or Consulate can help Filipinos who lose their passports by issuing a travel document that will allow travel back to the Philippines. 

Our kababayan should keep in mind that there are more stringent requirements for the replacement of a lost or stolen passport as compared to securing a regular passport, especially while aborad. It therefore pays to take extra precautions while on travel to avoid this inconvenience. END

https://dfa.gov.ph/dfa-news/statements-and-advisoriesupdate/18042-public-advisory-for-filipinos-traveling-overseas

It's true that no place is free of scam artists and petty thieves who try to take advantage of tourists. One should always be alert when travelling and aware of thieving tactics. Of course scam artists and thieves abound in the Philippines. That is a no brainer. That is why all the houses are behind concrete fences toped with barbed wire and why there is a low degree of trust among people.

What's funny about this list is that it only mentions petty crime and not violent crime. There are plenty of places abroad safe from violent crime. Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, even Europe and the USA, are all virtually safe and you are not like to get murdered, raped, or kidnapped in those places.

The same is not true for the Philippines. Foreigners, both residents and tourists, do end up murdered or kidnapped by terrorists before being horrifically beheaded. That is why there are travel warnings issued for the Philippines from the USA, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere. Remember the American who was murdered because he would not buy two guys a round of beer? His name is Eric Hendrickson. American businessman Peter La Barbera was also murdered this year. And don't forget about Lonnie Simon Weig who was gunned down while on his morning run. How can anyone forget that in 2016 South Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo was kidnapped and murdered by the PNP!

Here is a list of foreigners murdered in 2017:

http://philippineslifestyle.com/foreigners-murdered-philippines-2017/

There are 11 people on that list. Two of them are survivors of a attempted murder. 

Although not a fatality, Scot Tareq Naggar was lucky to survive after being shot in the chest by motorcycle-riding robbers who made off with just 500 pesos. The 44-year-old was due to marry his fiancee later on the same day in July. No arrests have been reported.

Shot in the chest over 500 pesos. And no one in the Philippines gives a damn when a foreigner is murdered. Filipinos aren't marching in the streets like people did in Slovakia after a Filipino was brutally beaten to death in the street.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/06/07/slovaks-mourn-filipino-expat-beaten-to-death-in-street/

Thousands of Slovaks rallied in the capital Bratislava on Friday to pay tribute to a murdered Filipino expat, beaten to death by man believed to be a neo-Nazi. 

The people of Bratislava organized a so-called “Justice for Henry” gathering at SNP square on June 6 to protest Acorda’s death. 

Organizers told the local Dennik N daily that around 3,000 protesters, mostly in their twenties, turned out for the memorial rally that began with a violinist playing a mournful tune. 

Some carried banners reading “Justice for Henry” and “Nazi brain burn in hell.” Others laid flowers and lit candles at an improvised memorial where the attack occurred.

That is life in the violent Philippines. No wonder this country is ranked high on the list of most dangerous countries for tourists.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/06/14/1710160/most-dangerous-countries-tourists-philippines-ranks-11th