My adventure

Abu Sayaf love the American flag, keep up the good work.

Kidnappers and bandits in general, not only Abu Sayyaf ! It is good to help them localize you :-) i think discretion is a key mindset especially in Mindanao
Take care

TeamJLeader wrote:

Hi, My name is Robb. I have lived in Mindinao province for almost two years. Originally I came from a small town in Georgia. My experience has been mixed so far. There have been mang challenges that were faced and overcome and a mixturenof happiness and utter frustrations. I married and am almost done in obtaining residency. I learned to ride motorcycles and survived a dramatic mountain road crash, and I even have a new baby. I am here if anyone needs to talk or has questions.

My rants are pretty much common ones. I hate the traffic, and the loud music and am fed up with the stubborn innefficiency of their government agencies. I also have mixed feelings about their family financial practices but on the other side, I am proud of their unity and sense of happiness.

I did come here with two dogs, one of which is my service dog. And I am the only one it seems bold enough to fly a huge American flag. I am a disabled veteran and even have navigated the horrible Manila VA clinic messes.

Hope to meet new people soon,

Robb

You should relocate to a safer province. You had your battles, there´s no sense in looking for more.
Keep the flag to yourself. Happy thanksgiving!

Hi Robb,

I am a 57 year old currently living in England and have a girlfriend in Mindanao. She lives between Cagayan De Oro and Illigan and is currently expecting our child. he lives with her father and two sons at the moment in a small village and we initially met on Facebook and I visited her in May this year. We had a great time and she stayed with me at the Apple Tree Beach Resort.

My problem is that I know reading this site that there are mixed reviews about safety on the Island and just this week a British couple were rescued from terrorists on the Island. Most people say Mindanao is safe but most seem to live in gated communities with security and this may not be the case for me if I decide to retire there in two or three years time. Now call me over cautious if you wish but my girlfriend went to Marawi a couple of months ago and I know that this was a base for the terrorists in the past and the place was badly damaged when the President decided to clean up a few years ago.

My worry is, is it truly safe in Mindanao on a daily basis if living in a non gated community, ie alongside the locals. I have been to CDO twice now and the first time I stayed in the Centre and did not feel safe. I have also visited Davao and funnily enough I felt completely safe there and really liked it.