Destination Risks

ISSUES INVOLVING IDENTITY

GENDER

Sexual harassment remains widespread with local laws stipulating a moderate punishment of imprisonment of up to six months for related crimes. Women may be seen as softer targets for petty crime and should consider additional travel precautions, particularly at nighttime, like traveling in groups. Abortion remains illegal in the Philippines, while emergency contraceptives are also not widely available.

LANGUAGE

Filipino, or Tagalog, is the most widely spoken of more than 120 languages. Filipino borrows heavily from Spanish and English, with English being the second official language in the country. English is spoken widely across the region which can help travelers communicate directly with locals.

RACE

The Philippines is an ethnically diverse country, with over 180 ethnolinguistic groups. Most foreign travelers are likely to feel welcome; the country has a long history of migration from Europe, the Middle East, China, and America. Filipinos of Chinese descent can more frequently be targets of petty crime, driven by a perception of affluence. There is ongoing ethnic tension in the south between the state and the Moro, an ethnically distinct, Muslim-majority people from the Bangsamoro region.

RELIGION

The Philippines is more than 90% Christian, with most Christians belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. There is a large Muslim population concentrated in the south, where the government has been fighting a decades-long insurgency against armed Islamist separatist groups.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Mainstream Filipino society is generally tolerant of LGBTQ+ expression despite an official stance of disapproval owing to the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. LGBTQ+ travelers are unlikely to experience any outward hostility, however outside metropolitan cities and tourist venues travelers should observe local customs and etiquette. Furthermore, the Philippines boasts a track record as a safe and welcoming destination for LGBTQ+ travelers with several cities passing local legislation to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. However transgender travelers might have to provide additional documentation at immigration as according to the law, an individual's sex must match the same as declared on one's birth certificate.

CRIME AND CONFLICT

COMMON CRIME

There are high levels of street crime and robberies throughout the Philippines, sometimes involving weapons and firearms (see Violent and Organized Crime), particularly in urban areas. Pickpocketing and bag snatching is common, however, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP), theft, physical assault, and robberies also remain widely reported. The number of crimes reported in the Metro Manila area fell by 9% in 2021 compared to the previous year according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), however, this trend was likely partly due to extensive pandemic control measures implemented throughout much of the year and is unlikely to be sustained.

As for robberies, victims have reported that they have been robbed by taxi drivers or people appearing to be taxi drivers who were later found to be driving stolen cars. There have been instances of criminals spiking food and/or drink to then rob travelers in popular tourist destinations such as Cebu, which also includes inserting certain drugs in cigarettes. Credit card and ATM fraud are also highly prevalent. Illegal electronic devices may be attached to card readers through which criminals obtain information such as the cardholder's PIN. There have also been instances of Westerners being targeted through online scams, with scammers coercing targets to transfer money to them.

Although the PNP are well resourced, abuse of power is common within the force, and corruption is systemic, undermining their ability to keep order and safely tackle crime.

KIDNAPPING

The risk of kidnapping remains relatively high in the Philippines with both criminal gangs and terrorist groups known to target foreign nationals. Kidnap for ransom has become a staple source of income for radical Islamist insurgent groups in areas such as South Mindanao, where British and Dutch tourists were targeted in 2019. However, Chinese and Philippine nationals continue to remain prime targets for such attacks.

Kidnapping occurs across the Philippines but is more acute in the south, in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago where Islamist extremist groups are most active. Foreigners have been previously targeted on private boats, marinas and resorts. Kidnap groups have also become increasingly sophisticated, working with each other to conduct complex attacks which include transporting victims across the Philippines. There have also been cases of captives being killed and/or held for several years. Tourist areas, including southern Cebu, have also been known to be targeted by kidnappers in the past.

In Manila, kidnappings are typically orchestrated by organized criminal gangs which are prevalent, and often linked to criminal activities, with tourists less likely to be the intended targets of such activity.

VIOLENT OR ORGANIZED CRIME

The possession of firearms and other weapons is common and poorly regulated by authorities, which drives the risk of violent crime. According to a 2019 UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) report, there were 8.4 intentional homicides per 100,000 people in the Philippines, which was the highest in the Southeast Asian region although lower than much of the Americas.

Most violent crime occurs in the southern region of Mindanao, however urban areas in Luzon are also significantly impacted. Local criminal gangs are active in Manila, including in central business districts such as Makati and Tondo.

Drug-related crime is pervasive, particularly involving the trade of methamphetamines, which are widely consumed in the country. Former president Duterte's widely publicized 'War on Drugs' failed to effectively reduce supply, while the actions of an empowered police force led to thousands of killings mostly in poor communities within the Philippines, consequently increasing the risk of causalities to bystanders during armed confrontations. This risk is not expected to significantly improve under President Marcos Jr. Organized criminal gangs are also known to carry out kidnappings (see Kidnapping for more information).

TERRORISM

The US Department of State has declared Manila a high-threat location for terrorism. Groups hold both the capacity and intent to carry out attacks in popularly frequented places such as shopping malls, entertainment venues, public transport (including train stations and airports) and places of worship. However, the southern and western Mindanao region (which has been under a state of emergency since 2016), and Sulu province remain the most at-risk areas in the country as the authorities continue to try to maintain control over the regions, while militant groups also remain active in northern and central Luzon to a lesser degree.

While a peace agreement was reached between the state and the Bangsamoro-based Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2014, splinter groups continue to provide a threat in the southern island of Mindanao. Notable groups active in the Philippines include MILF-splinter group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), and the New People's Army (NPA).

Attacks can involve kidnappings (see Kidnappings for more information), but also bombings with targets including civilian populations and government security infrastructure. Government facilities and security forces also remain prime targets. Major attacks in recent years include the 2019 Jolo Cathedral bombings in Sulu, which killed 20 people and were carried out by ASG, and a 2018 bomb attack outside a shopping center in Cotabato City, Mindanao which killed two. Terror actors tend to conduct attacks with no warning, with terrorist activity typically higher during election periods. Overall, however, sustained efforts from security forces and increased powers granted to them have led to decreasing capacity for such groups in recent years.

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

TRAVEL

Most roads including highways are poorly maintained with heavy traffic jams common in the Metro Manila region. Rash driving and disregard of traffic rules are commonplace in large cities such as Manila, raising the risk of accidents for pedestrians and passengers alike, with the number of traffic accidents almost doubling in the capital from 2007 to 2018. Minor road incidents can also easily escalate into violent assaults between parties, and carjacking is common as well.

Driving conditions remain hazardous, particularly during the monsoons where flash floods are frequent. While moped scooters have become increasingly common among tourists, an unfamiliarity with driving conditions and behaviors in the country increases the risk of being involved in an accident.

The use of reliable taxi services is recommended for travel within urban areas, while the availability of ridesharing services has also increased significantly which can be optimally utilized given the increased transparency. Only metered taxis should be used, with the hailing of taxis on the street discouraged, as scams or robberies involving unlicensed taxis are common.

As for bus services, minibuses known as 'jeepneys' as well as larger buses are used. However, they are often old, poorly maintained and overcrowded, and they have the tendency to be targeted by armed robbers. Additionally, pickpocketing is common on the rapid transit systems in Metro Manila.

As for ferries, some vessels are often poorly maintained and overcrowded, and accidents are common. Accidents are more prevalent during the rainy season with local authorities often suspending services at short notice. Coastal waters can also be dangerous with inadequate rescue services and several drowning cases every year. Not all beaches have lifeguards or warning systems to highlight dangerous conditions, including in popular beach destinations such as Cebu.

HEALTHCARE

Healthcare is widely available in most urban areas, although the standard of facilities can vary significantly, with rural areas suffering from more limited and basic services. In the Metro Manila area, traffic conditions can often prevent first responders from reaching patients quickly. The quality of healthcare professionals is typically good, with English widely spoken among staff.

ACCESSIBILITY

Despite laws mandating that buildings have features that make them accessible, these are often ignored, resulting in widespread accessibility issues for many locations and services. This includes an inadequate provision of ramps, signage, non-skid flooring, and dedicated parking spaces.

CLIMATE

Due to its geographical location, the Philippines is regularly exposed to a range of natural disasters. Seismic and volcanic activity means that earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are not uncommon. While the Philippines experiences approximately 20 typhoons a year, mostly between May and December with Super-typhoon Rai in 2021 causing 375 deaths with Cebu as one of the worst affected areas. Natural disasters can lead to disruptions to transport links, power supply, and communications, with emergency services often stretched.