Philippines?

[AbbieNormal]

Hey all,

I know that RJA has a large following in the Philippines, so I figured that here would be as good a place as any to ask some questions about the Philippines.

Next summer, I'm hoping to go the Philippines for a month with a humanitarian organization called A Brouder View. (website ---> http://abroaderview.org/tanauan.php ) I plan on combining the orphanage/child care assistance with the street kids/youth program. The only problem with my plan is convincing my parents about the safety. (I'll be turning 18 next summer)

So here's my question for all you RJA fans from the Philippines: do you know the Tacloban area, particularly Tanauan? (Tanauan is 45 minutes outside Tacloban.) Any information about the political situation in the area would be appreciated. In short, would Tanauan be safe for a 17 year old white girl from America or would I be seriously targeted with a high chance of being harmed?

Also, anything else ya'll think of that I should know would also be appreciated.

Thanks guys! =]

[karla robiso]

oh. . . tacloban in Visayas? i'm sure you will be safe there for sure. . . we Filipinos were very hospitable. . . i'm very sure that place is safe. . .

[AbbieNormal]

Thank you! Now to tell my parents and convince them I'll be fine. ^_^
Yeah, my mom went to the Philippines years ago to visit her best friend's family. She told me hos hospitable everyone was.

[Bill Taylor]

you not only go to mindanao.. u get killed by Muslims there

[AbbieNormal]

Ah, thanks for the heads up. I'll have to avoid mindanao then... Thank you. =]

[Bill Taylor]

yes.. (i am naturalized) Philippines ! The people here are hospitable.. Enjoy your visit here.. BTW we got a new president..

[karla robiso]

yeah. . . maybe he can manage to change everything for us, Filipinos. . . hope he can do much better than our former presidents. . .

[Meg Dayton]

Filipinos aren't violent/crazy people. The worst thing that they'll do to you is pick-pocket your phone/wallet or something valuable and yes some kids do that too. It just reflects how desperate they are when it comes to putting food on the table. The economy sucks...what do you expect? Although, if they know you're there to help, they won't do anything bad at all. They'll just most likely stare 'cause you're a foreigner. Other than that, you're good to go.

[AbbieNormal]

Yeah, that's completely understandable. Desperate times and all... I probably won't carry much money with me when I go out, so it should be alright. That's my hope that they'll see I'm there to help. =] Ah, stares are fine. So it's all good. ^_^

[Meg Dayton]

Yeah just carry like $10 a day dude. That's about 450 pesos already. Pretty much everything there is uuuuuuuber cheap...except for gas of course. But yeah it'll blow your mind.

[AbbieNormal]

Thanks for the tip. =] I'm so psyched!

[Meg Dayton]

Anytime :)

[dayanara brazil]

hi!!!im dayanara and im from Tacloban....and I'll tell you tanuan is a safe place...and if you'll come here in tacloban..i could even meet you here...i live in San Jose,Tacloban City....and we taclobanons are hospitable...