Living Here in the phillipines

Ate1 wrote:

The best place in the Philippines for crime-management is in Davao City.  The Duterte family has done an excellent job in making that city relatively safe.  Its sad to say, but in countries where desperation is a never-ending way of life for most people, the only effective way to control people from criminal activity, especially violent activity, is to eliminate them quickly and on a regular basis.  The Davao system has proven its effectiveness.  Where life has become a jungle, draconian means are necessary and society has the right to take ALL MEANS necessary to protect the innocent.  I comment the mayors of Davao for the good work.  If the same system were used in Manila, crime would drop almost over night.  (Not only Manila, but Luzon in general is ridden with crime, and I would not recommend that a retiree think about any place in Luzon for his retirement).

I agree criminals should be prosecuted as soon as possible but when they are never to be seen again and assumed not to be walking the land I find that kind of justice one of BARBARIAN TIMES...The ultimate corruption, no different than judgements made by King Herrod...

Well, I respect your opinion but I believe that draconian justice in the case of violent crime is honorable for society to carry out. People who have no compassion for victims of violent crime are those who really have a profound lack of empathy for other human beings, or they have twisted sentiments.  I dare say you might feel differently if you had a daughter who was brutally raped, or a brother, mother or father who was murdered during a burglary.  If you did, you, would not be using that word barbaric for describing justice.  What is your idea of a deterrent to violent crime?  You sound like you believe in mollycoddling child molesters and other such savages who brutalize innocent people.  Society has the right to take life according to whatever standards it sets, as long as the public supports it.  Please do not bring God into the argument because God is irrelevant to any rational, secular discussion on the matter, since there is no way to even know whether there are Gods or not.  The Duterte family, in my opinion, should be nominated for a Nobel Prize for their fine work in upholding a peaceful city whose inhabitants can raise their families in peace and practice the values of whatever religion they choose to worship under- and all thanks to the Duterte mayors.   The Philippines has many great qualities and one way to make it so that its citizens can take advantage of them is to create a secure society.  There are almost 100,000,000 people in the Philippines now. If the savages who prey on innocent men, women and children refuse to mend their ways before they pass the point-of-no-return, then a national policy of euthanasia would be an acceptable alternative in my opinion.  There should be absolutely no mercy for violent offenders!

Ate1 wrote:

Well, I respect your opinion but I believe that draconian justice in the case of violent crime is honorable for society to carry out. People who have no compassion for victims of violent crime are those who really have a profound lack of empathy for other human beings, or they have twisted sentiments.  I dare say you might feel differently if you had a daughter who was brutally raped, or a brother, mother or father who was murdered during a burglary.  If you did, you, would not be using that word barbaric for describing justice.  What is your idea of a deterrent to violent crime?  You sound like you believe in mollycoddling child molesters and other such savages who brutalize innocent people.  Society has the right to take life according to whatever standards it sets, as long as the public supports it.  Please do not bring God into the argument because God is irrelevant to any rational, secular discussion on the matter, since there is no way to even know whether there are Gods or not.  The Duterte family, in my opinion, should be nominated for a Nobel Prize for their fine work in upholding a peaceful city whose inhabitants can raise their families in peace and practice the values of whatever religion they choose to worship under- and all thanks to the Duterte mayors.   The Philippines has many great qualities and one way to make it so that its citizens can take advantage of them is to create a secure society.  There are almost 100,000,000 people in the Philippines now. If the savages who prey on innocent men, women and children refuse to mend their ways before they pass the point-of-no-return, then a national policy of euthanasia would be an acceptable alternative in my opinion.  There should be absolutely no mercy for violent offenders!

What you suggest is still wrong..It is my understanding many of those accused, abused and found to have disappeared didn't even have a day in court...The so called family you speak of was judge, jury and executioner...What you suggest is a totalitarian merciless government who without a doubt have sent many accused and only suspected of guilt, tortured to confess whether guilty or not and executed without even family members made aware...How about them with a life of never knowing what happened to those they love...Besides in many cases of violent crimes there is often mitigating circumstances involved and what you suggest those circumstances would rarely be a factor...

The so called quick and merciless form of justice you speak of can only be described as being BARBARIC no matter what you say and those in charge will only worsen in their judgement over time because when in the position of UNCONTESTED POWER WITH RIGGED ELECTIONS they are no better than the Sadam Hussein's of the world...

Now now,

We are getting off topic here aren't we?
Could we get back to the title which is life in general in Philippines instead ?

Thanks
Armand
Expat.com Team

CharlesHarman wrote:

Oh by the way I have only been kind of sort of robbed once here. This was in a Bus stopover in Carmen Philippines. I had gone into the bathroom and I was the only one in there. A guy followed me in and started asking me for money, I pulled out a 20 peso note and he said "more", I was not going to argue with him so pulled out the only other note I had which was a 500 Peso note at which he took then ran away with. If there had been more people in there I would have just ignored him once he had said "more". I think in the future do not go into a rest room or "CR" alone. I think a crowded "CR" is better than an empty one forget the privacy issue it's too risky.

How do you figure you were robbed...He wasnt brandishing a weapon and just asked for money...You should had said no and F off...If he tried something hit em with your Guitar...lol

The best place to stay in the Philippines is for me Cagayan de Oro City.  People are very hospitable and friendly.  It's one of the fastest growing city in the Philippines.  Tourism is all going one way--"UP".

You do have some good points, but the cursory justice was resorted to because the Philippine judicial system does not serve the rights of the people.  The time to bring those charged with serious offenses is absurd. I believe that the bottom line is that the people have a right to protection.  The law primarily exists due to the social contract, where personal seeking of justice is relinquished in recognition of society doing that work for you, to maintain social harmony; but when government fails in that obligation, the people have the right seek justice for themselves.  The only one who bears responsibility for the breakdown of institutional justice here is the government itself, which fails to run an efficient system that can fulfill its obligation to people.  Davao is a safe city. That its public feels safe and thinks the mayors have and are doing a wonderful job is justification in itself.  You can't treat the law as if it were above the interests of the people or if it were some heavenly council anointed by God. The legal system is deeply flawed and one has to err on the side of the public interest, the general public who obeys the laws and just wants to live a peaceful life.  Criminals must bear the brunt of a deeply flawed legal system- not the law-biding public.  I understand your opinion and respect it because I know you are thinking as an idealist, but idealism can be misguided when it fails to show compassion only for savage criminals and not the general peaceful law-abiding public.  Your empathy is with the drug-addicts,  pushers, rapists, burglars and murderers- mine is with the innocent God-fearing Philippino public.  We two have very different philosophical positions but in the end, in this universe, there is no absolute morality.  Public consensus can decide how the society can function- as it pleases.  That is how I see it.  But, as I said, I don't think you are necessarily wrong, if you were living in a utopian society.  We have to live in the real world, which can be a barbaric one!  God bless, you!