Safety in Philippines

Street theft: in Manila wear your backpack on your front and keep expensive phones out of sight. Pickpockets are highly skilled, particularly in the crush around terminals and inside jeepneys.
Typhoon season: between June and November the weather can turn very fast. Watch the forecasts, because a storm can strand you on an island for extra days with no way off and patchy communications.
Ice and water: drink bottled water bought from shops. Ice in street-stall drinks is often made from untreated tap water, and that reliably costs you several days of your holiday.
Mindanao: the far south remains politically unstable and is not somewhere to travel casually. Check your own government's travel advisory and stick to the central and northern islands.
Sea urchins: wear reef shoes when swimming off undeveloped beaches. The bottom is frequently coral, and urchin spines can turn into an expensive medical problem quickly.
Sun: the tropical sun does real damage even through cloud. Use the strongest sunscreen you have, because a full-day boat tour will burn you badly on day one otherwise.

Filipinos are among the friendliest people in Asia, and the local schemes are built on exactly that: they work through trust rather than pressure.

Budol-budol. The local name for a con in which a pleasant group sits down beside you, conversation flows, a drink or some food is offered — and you come round without your belongings. The drink is spiked. The rule is strict: accept no food or drink from new acquaintances, especially on buses, ferries and in Manila's squares.

ATMs. Card skimming remains widespread. Use machines inside malls and banks, cover the keypad, and switch on transaction alerts.

Manila taxis. "Meter's broken", refusal to run the meter, "traffic, let's agree a fixed price". An app settles it; at the airport, take a car only from the official desk.

Card games. An acquaintance in a cafe becomes an invitation to a friendly game at "my sister's place", where you unexpectedly lose a large sum. An old scheme that still works.

Online romance. A mass phenomenon: correspondence, then a request for money for a ticket, a relative's treatment, an urgent transfer. A related genre is blackmail using a recorded video call.

Drugs. The Philippines remains one of the harshest countries in the region. Possession of even a small amount brings a long sentence, and serious charges carry no bail. The anti-drug campaign of recent years left behind a practice in which proceedings can be very short.

Weapons. The country holds a great deal of both legal and illegal weaponry. Importing ammunition, butterfly knives or any munitions is prohibited, and airport screening is thorough. During election periods a nationwide gun ban applies and road checks become frequent.

Age of consent and child protection. The laws are strict, apply extraterritorially, and enforcement works closely with foreign agencies. Cases of this kind end in prison.

Religion. The country is deeply Catholic. Disrespect toward the church or a religious procession is taken badly, and there is a formal offence of offending religious feelings.

Regions. South-western Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago see genuine armed activity and kidnappings. This is not embassy-advisory exaggeration — people do not go there.

Drones must be registered with CAAP, and flights over people and installations are prohibited.

Vaccinations. None mandatory. Hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies are advised — the Philippines is among the world leaders in rabies deaths, and street dogs are numerous.

Dengue. Present year-round with regular major outbreaks, Manila and Cebu included. The mosquito bites by day. A high fever on day three or four means a blood test, not aspirin.

Malaria occurs in some provinces, mainly Palawan and inland Mindanao. The main resort areas are free of it.

Water. Not from the tap. Bottled water is cheap and everywhere, and ice in decent establishments is safe.

Typhoons. The season runs June to December, peaking August to October. The Philippines takes around twenty typhoons a year, and this is the likeliest way your trip goes off plan. Follow PAGASA forecasts and never book tight domestic connections.

The sea. Currents, and no lifeguards on many islands. Sea urchins and fire coral are routine reasons for a clinic visit.

Healthcare. Private hospitals in Manila, Cebu and Davao are good. Small islands have no healthcare at all, and the nearest clinic may be hours away by boat. Insurance with evacuation cover is essential.

The Philippines scores poorly on the Corruption Perceptions Index, and low-level extortion is common.

Road checks. A fine paid on the spot with no receipt is ordinary practice. Asking for an official citation and noting the officer's badge number often changes the tone.

The airport. The bullet-planting scandal at Manila airport made headlines some years ago; the practice has since faded, but the habit remains useful — wrap your luggage and never leave it unattended.

Tourist police. Present in Manila, Cebu, Boracay and other main destinations, and noticeably more correct than an ordinary station.

Reporting theft. A police report for your insurer is issued; the process is slow but real. In resort areas, going through your hotel helps.

Barangay. The lowest tier of local government, and many everyday disputes are settled there rather than by the police. If a problem arises where you are staying, the barangay hall is the place to go.

Emergency number is 911, working nationwide with English-speaking operators. English is an official language here, which makes any complicated situation far easier.