It’s Incredibly Safe

In addition to being a pleasant and hospitable people, Filipinos, particularly those from smaller areas, can be traditional and cautious. In the beginning, they will appear shy and avoid conflict as much as possible. So be more friendly and less forceful while communicating with locals.

The Philippines has a horrible reputation for being risky for tourists in recent years. Because of terrorism, several locations in the south are under travel advisories. We went to the Balabac Islands in Palawan's south and were warned that we might be kidnapped by terrorist pirates. Of course, we didn't, and no foreigners have ever been kidnapped in that area.

Although opportunistic crime can occur anywhere, we never felt threatened throughout our 6-week stay in the Philippines.