How Corrupt is The Philippines?
The other day, I included in a comment that the Philippines is not as corrupt as people make it out to be. I got jumped by a couple of expats. Not expats living in the Philippines but Filipino living in Western countries. There appears to be significant corruption here. The way many people talk though, its more common than uncommon.
There is a perception that white guys living in the Philippines are rich. That probably brings out the more desperate people and many of them may concentrate on us. Not much point in trying to scam another 
broke person. This concentration could make it seem that the corruption is worse than it is to the expats living in the Philippines.
Since I made that statement, I have caught myself avoiding situations or doing things in a way to better protect myself, so that I will reduce the likelihood of being ripped off. I seem to be conducting myself expecting to be ripped off and taking precautions against that.
So far though, the only person that’s tried to rip me off was a kano that tried to sell me his used scooter for P50,000 after he had an accident on it. That’s what they cost new. Oh, sure, I’ve paid the Kano price way too many times.
So how much corruption have I seen in the last 16 months? Almost none. I know of someone that paid for a preferred place in line at the Bureau of Immigration. I’ve paid custom fees that I don’t think were actually due. I know of someone that had to pay extra fees to employees of a cable company to get them to move up the installation of DSL into a home. I’ve seen public talk about the director of LTO could speed up the process and cut through the red tape of converting your drivers license to an international license. I once saw a guy give a policeman P500 to avoid having his bike impounded. I don’t recall who and I don’t know if it was true. That’s it, at least at levels that might affect me.
What high ranking government officials do or what it looks like they may have done are not something most of us run into. Most of the Filipina I’ve met face to face are great people. Not a one of them has tried to rip me off. If they did try, Jessie would likely be all over it. She’s quite good and turning and walking off when a cabby tries some crap on her. We send the yaya out to buy things as much as possible, she gets a better price than either of us can here in Bogo. Everyone knows she’s with me. 
That’s not a scam, that’s just business. :She doesn’t like to haggle. No big deal. I don’t usually talk to them but when I do, I haggle now.
Sure there is graft there, plenty of it but I don’t find it any worse here than it is in the US. And I’m far less likely to be robbed or killed for blowing my horn at the wrong person or looking at someone in the wrong way.
There is corruption here, no doubt but to paint the entire country in those terms is just not accurate and its eeems that many people do just that. For the most part, I’ve been treated very well by the people I’ve dealt with here.
Tagged with: Bureau of Immigration • Expats • Living In The Phlippines
Filed under: Living In The Philippines
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Rusty,
I’ve spent the better part of this day surfing Google for websites to give me as much information about Ozamiz City as I can get. I came across Mindanao Magazine and I’ve been surfing the site reading the articles and blogs and have found it quite enlightening.
I’ve enjoyed reading your articles. I like your “tell-it-like-it-is” writing style. It is quite refreshing in this day and age.
I came across your article about “Finding Filipina Love”. You hit the nail on the head in this piece. What specifically caught my eye was your offer to check out if a person was for real. I was hoping I could take you up on your offer.
I’ve been chatting (web cam) with a lovely young filipino woman, living in Ozamiz City, for the past couple months whom I met through filipinahearts. I have decided to visit her this coming July. I’ll be arriving in Ozamiz City on July 6th and staying for about two weeks.
I believe this young woman is genuinely “real”. I guess I’d like to try to find out more about her before I arrive. I’m curious to know if she is truly single or possibly married. (I’ve heard of men being scammed by married filipino women) She has a 4 yr old daughter. She told me that she was never married to her daughter’s father and that he is no longer in the picture (has not been for the past two years or so). But, she wears a ring on her wedding finger and that has raised this question in me…is she married?
On one hand I truly believe her; on the other I am skeptical from the stories I have heard. Can you assist me in solving my curiousity?
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and respond in kind. I look forward to hearing from you.
Greg (aka Greg G on the Z)
PS: Keeping writing!
I’m going to email you on this.
I hope she doesn’t search for her name. She may find your post. Do you want me to remove her name?
Thank you for the kind words on my writing. Telling it like it is tends to get me into trouble so I’m trying to be careful actually. LOL Good to hear I’m not over doing be careful.
Good signs are that her family is unlikely to be poor. She could get money from them if she needs it bad enough. Pride though, could stop her from asking.
That she works is a very good sign.
Filipina don’t usually wear wedding bands and if she was wearing one, she’d take it off.
Girls giving into their guys here, before they are married, often results in them being left alone this way. There are lots of single moms in the Philippines that have never been married.
Yeah, Filipino heart can be a mind field. I had an account there and some of the stories I ran into were almost comical. MOST of the girls there are out to rip you off but not all. Some ask for money in the first few moments. Others, the smarter ones, will wait a long time or never ask at all but hint. Hinting is a big practise. I met a girl there that I’m sure was being sincere, totaly so and she was young and extremely pretty.
I’m with a Filipina that I met online, things are going well. She’s an angel, others say a saint for putting up with me.
So it can happen.
You should be prepared for anything when you come, if it goes badly with her, then you should have the mindset that you will go find someone else. You can find a wonderful woman here, I’m sure of that. Can you do it in two weeks? Probably.
Have you asked if she’s Muslim? I have readers here that know Mindanao well, I don’t. The reason I ask is if she is Muslim and you are not, she will likely expect you to convert. Every Muslim girl I’ve ever talked to told me that was a must. Southern Mindanao has a larger concentration of Muslim’s, some areas are more Muslim than Christian. The area you are going to, I’ve not read of any trouble there THAT I RECALL.
However, there is a province near there with active fighting going on between Philippine troops and Abu Sayyaf, a group with links to Al-qaeda. At least news paper reports say it is with Abu Sayyaf. You usually find them on an Island to the west of Zambongona known as Sulu. Stay away from Sulu. I myself would be fearful of going into the area you’re going others would give me a hard time for that. Mindanao Bob is likely one of those.
I would fly into the City if I went. The rural areas are usually the more dangerous. You’re probably in more danger from the gangs in the US than you will be there, still be careful and stay alert.
It has been my experience that girls on the net usually have several guys they are talking too because most of the guys never show up. This may be true of a girl that is sincere too. She has no way of knowing if you’re sincere.
Showing up though, if she’s worth your time, will change everything. Ii’m about to have a nicotine fit so I’m headed outside but I will email you.
I would just say proceed with caution. Not every girl on the internet is a scammer but enough are to giveit a bad name and to give you reason for caution.Some of the online connections are not even women. Just to give you a heads up.
That said I would suggest you meet her somewhere else than where she is living now. So you are both on neutral ground.
Yes many of the girls do chat with more than one guy.Just like many of the guys chat with more than one girl. That is not a bad sign itself. Just remember it is not only the girls who scam a lot of guys do to. Just be yourself and be aware.