Do the atm's give out $20 bills or do they take an exchange amount out of my checking account while actually delivering pesos into my hot little hand?

The other thing: why risk taking enough cash over there to pay for a wedding and a month's stay, if I can get cash from an atm anytime I want?  (When they're working.)

If I go to the beach with a swim suit and a towel, is the maid gonna go in my hotel room and steal my money belts?  Or should I trust my cash and passport to the hotel safe?

Maybe I should just take some of you guys with me as a bodyguard...

When I was with a friend in Tijuana he'd just gotten done soloing in a karaoke restaurant for four hours and we were walking down the street looking for a taxi when a gang of skinny young teenage girls surrounded us.  They were jabbering and chattering and their hands were flying all over.  My friend knew a dozen ways to kill someone with karate but didn't know how to deal with these girls.  I on the other hand knew from my Aikido training to keep moving in a circle so no one could get behind me, and to keep saying No! No! No! in a strong but not hostile tone of voice.  The girls somehow got a wad of money out of my friend's pocket, but dropped it, so he stepped on his money and they split.

Can this kind of organized pickpocketing attack be expected in a place like Manila or Davao City?

I don’t use the ATM machines over there, but I think you’ll find that they all dispense pesos. You will probably be charged a service charge, the exchange rate will probably be lower than other moneychangers, the transaction limit may be too low for your needs, and if the machine keeps your card, good luck! I would definitely have a backup. Traveler's Checks are a big pain in the arse!

Do not leave cash or other valuables in your hotel room! Leaving it in the safe deposit of a reputable hotel should be perfectly safe. Probably the safest place for your cash is in your lady’s possession. If she is like most Filipinas, she will protect it with her life :-). She will also get a good exchange rate for you. Let her handle the money and pay for most everything.

The pickpockets are plentiful over there, but usually operate alone. I had a watch snatched off my wrist in 1969 when I was drunk and a cab driver in Manila tried to keep my change once, but those were my only bad experiences in the Phils that I can remember. BTW, the local police did get my watch back for me, but the reward money was more than it was worth (LOL). As for the cab driver incident, I called the Tourist Police who tracked down the driver, dragged him out of his cab and beat the crap out of him in the middle of a public street, and insisted that I keep ALL of his money, so I actually made a good profit on that one.

You sound like a street-smart kind of guy, so if you are sober and aware of your surroundings, you should be O.K.

Ray

  Debit cards may be used all over the Philippines, though you will find that many of them work only part of the time.
Mastercard seems to have the edge for ease of use. Exchange
the minimum that you may need on arrival. After that your best bet almost always is the exchange office usually found in
large department stores in the malls. They usually give the best rate.(After all, they assume you will exchange for Pesos and then spend some of it in their store.) Avoid dealing with any street money changer!There are a lot of scams with these people. If you carry any amount of money
on your person, put the larger wad in a hidden spot, and then carry a little walking around money in a ready spot from which
you pay taxis, odds and ends etc. Probably not a good idea to
open up a wad that would choke a horse in front of strangers.
On the remote chance that you ever get robbed, you can toss the small wad down and run.

After I finally found a pair of nice dress shoes that came in my size at the Gaisano Department Store in Butuan City, it took around another 45 minutes to purchase them and leave. Two sales ladies left to retrieve my shoes, exiting the sales floor through a door which I assumed (always a bad idea to assume) was the storage area. LOL They came back about 30 minutes later with a dusty box. I briefly checked the shoes, they fit and seemed comfortable. For reasons to follow, I really wouldn't have cared at this point. Next, it took a few minutes for the shoes to travel to the cashier 15 feet away. At the cashier, we spent another 10 minutes as the price was looked up, written on a piece of paper by another employee, then was handed to another employee who read it to the cashier, who punched the numbers into the register, then I handed the money to the go between, who handed it to the cashier... =8oO Normally I wouldn't have been so obsessed with time, but I was battling a moderate case of "Aguinaldo's Revenge" and had timed my visit to Gaisano between visits to my "PT" (Personal Throne) at the house. It's a good thing there are two, because the CR was my home away from home for a few days. While waiting for the shoes to arrive, I had already desperately searched for a CR close by in the mall. At Greenwich I was told "Sorry sir, no CR." As my condition became more grave by the minute, I was starting to consider the parking lot or back wall at Gaisano! =8oO Somehow through sheer determination, clinched butt cheeks, a temporary reduction in internal gas pressure, and a double fare (NONSTOP!!!) tricycle ride, I made it back to my throne in the barangay...and not a moment too soon!!! The next day, my wife bought me a bottle of Tabasco Sauce at Gaisano (they sell 4 varieties), which I started putting on everything. The "Aguinaldo's Revenge" had pretty much cleared up within a few days. The suspected culprit was the raw salad I had been eating for a few days, as I had been drinking only distilled water and using ice cubes made from it.

What was Luther's question again...I got a little side tracked with the mention of "Gaisano Mall." LOL

Hi Luther,

I use a "Chinese" money changer who is located in a store in the city where my wife is from. My wife's family have been using him for years and could attest to him being reputable. I have never had a problem with him or gotten the "Kano exchange rate." Just the same, I usually have my wife or brother-in-law make the exchange. I don't want anyone standing around to start thinking that the Kano is exchanging big money. Believe me, everyone in the store knows what the big Kano is doing in the back room and that I am probably dealing with at least $100, and likely much more. I am sure that your lady, a family member or friend probably knows a money changer that can be trusted. I get a better rate than the bank and it takes less time.

Good Luck!

Dave H.

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I have been reading P-L when I have the chance and must have missed your post. I just got back from Butuan City on Monday, where my wife is from. Personally, I like Butuan City. It is not a very big city, but I can usually find things I want or need. I always find things to do either around the house or out. Even though I have a motorcycle and a van to use, I usually prefer to ride jeepneys or tricycles. I plan to buy my own jeepney for private use in the future and also a boat.

We have only flown PAL from LA or San Francisco to Manila, then PAL to Butuan City. Cebu Pacific also flies to Butuan once a day from Manila via Cebu. We have never had any major problems with PAL. The new Terminal 2, which PAL uses, is right next to the domestic terminal they fly out of. Thus, the main advantage is not having to take a cab between the international terminal other airlines use and the PAL domestic terminal. Also PAL international passengers are allowed a higher baggage allowance when flying domestic. But, we are considering trying other options in the future. Good Luck!

Dave H.

I can only imagine what a nightmare it would be to try to return something! We were going to buy a microwave at Gaisano Mall, but we're told there was "No guarantee!" We decided to purchase it elsewhere. I seriously doubt that the "guarantee" is worth more than the paper its printed on, but it gave some peace of mind. We bought a top brand name, hoping that it will last.

Dave H.

Not only did I forget the Pepto Bismol Chewable Tablets, but also my blood pressure medicine. I left them on the kitchen counter when the airport shuttle arrived 30 minutes early and we scrambled to get out the door. Fortunately, I was able to purchase both medicines in the Philippines. I wasn't sure about my BP medicine since it is rather new. Unfortunately, I didn't buy the Pepto until I actually NEEDED it! On the positive side, I had a water tank and pump installed in the house before we arrived. Due to low water pressure during the daytime, the upstairs CR in our bedroom was just about useless. While I was there I put in hand held "Power Tabos" in the CRs which are very useful! They are basically a sprayer similar to one used as in the kitchen to wash dishes.

The shoes were indeed brown...however I was feeling much better by the time I wore them at our daughter's baptism. I was all decked out in my barong tagalog and new brown dress shoes...feeling pretty sharp. Everyone commented that I looked like a politician. LOL Turns out I was a bit overdressed, as the priest was wearing blue jeans, T-shirt and rubber shoes. ))) Just to think that I almost lost all human dignity in the eyes of Filipino customers at Gaisano Mall to purchase those darn brown shoes. ROFLMAOSIMMFP...now...not then!!! I look forward to reading about the Olongapo City “exploding anus” incident! Somehow I think you weren't as fortunate as me!!! I sure hope you were drunk at the time! ROFLMGDAOCUMMFSLSAPIMMFD!!!!!

Dave H.