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Davao and (the absence of) Danger

I've gotten a few emails from guys having second thoughts about coming to Davao because they have heard from other sources that it's not safe for westerners in general and Americans in particular. As one who has lived there in utter peace and contentment, I thought I could perhaps offer a counter to these specious points of view.

First, despite allegations to the contrary in the newspapers and from the US State Department, Mindanao in general is reasonably safe. The sporadic outbreaks of violence which do occur are typically related either to warfare between feuding family clans or to intermittent clashes between the Moro National Islamic Front (MILF), the New People's Army (NPA) and government troops. The NPA, which is very small, operates largely in the Caraga Region, which is in the Northeastern part of Mindanao. The MILF operates largely in the island provinces of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan, which are in the Western part of Mindanao. Most tourists would have no need to go to either of these areas which are remote, and lack most, if any amenities. All of these places are hundreds of kilometers from Davao.

Davao itself is a totally calm and peaceful place and is, in my view at least, safer, particularly for expatriates, than either Manila or Cebu. There's little street crime for one thing, which is rampant in both Manila and Cebu. For another, the Mayor of Davao, who is extremely popular, is a no nonsense guy who does not tolerate criminality in "his" city. He's warned would-be criminals, in a very public way, never to fool with foreigners on his watch since the consequences will be dire. The criminals seem to have heeded his advice, and neither I, nor any of my expat friends have ever had any problems with anyone.

Further, Davao lacks the congestion and pollution of Manila and Cebu. It's a more sprawling type of place and much more laid back than either of the other two cities. With a population of about 1.5 million distributed across an enormous land mass, it has all of the amenities one needs from a city without the crowded feeling of many other urban settings in the Philippines. Since Davao is, geographically, the largest city in the world, there's plenty of room to spread out and there are some extremely rural areas that are still within the city limits.

My friends and I often joke that Davao is one of the last remaining undiscovered secrets of the planet. It is, on balance, an excellent place to live and it's a superb retirement destination, with prices that are about 40% lower than Manila and about 20% lower than Cebu.

I don't want to sound like the Chamber of Commerce, and I'm not touting the city as the ideal destination for everyone. However, I do want to put to rest the misconceptions that many people appear to have of the place. You can come here without any fears at all for your personal safety or the safety of your family.

Regards,
Michael

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