Over the years, I have been stopped on two occasions by police officers asking me who I am and where I stay. Of late, usually once or twice a year, they’ll stop in at my home to check in on me. I suspect the fact I’m always accessible plays a role in this. Many foreigners find this invasive, and their natural reaction is to be rude or abrupt with the officers. Newsflash, they are just doing their jobs, one of which is to keep track of foreigners in their areas.
The reasons for this are simple. Kidnappings do occur here, not anywhere near us in the Bicol region, but concentrated in certain areas like Mindanao (one of the reasons we steer clear of there). So the safety of foreigners is a very real concern for the police. There is also the issue of suspect characters, who often pick the Philippines, as an escape. While in the minority, these bad actors are a real issue within the foreign communities, so when you get that knock on the door, invite the officers in, offer them something cold to drink, and help them to help you.
Always keep the following advice in the forefront of your interactions with Filipinos’. We are guests in their country, forget how much you’ve invested, or how much you support local communities, the fact remains, we are here at their pleasure. Don’t be rude, don’t be aggressive, and don’t mistake your level of education and supposed “culture” as a reason to belittle or look down on the Filipino. They are exceptional people, friendly, respectful and deserving of our very best.
One of the main reasons the Philippines is so safe generally is because of a constant police presence and while certain areas (usually mountainous) still suffer from a small NPA presence (freedom fighters, basically now degenerated into a loose collective of armed Filipinos who extort money from locals to stay alive), the country offers levels of safety unimaginable in most Western countries. Where else can you wonder about at midnight, in almost complete safety?
If you’re new to an area, stop in at the local police station, volunteer your name and address and ask them which areas, if any, are considered no-go zones. They will always assist with current information and are almost always, friendly, courteous and genuinely interested in you.
If you’re new to the Philippines or even if you’ve been here a while, your fellow expats will often revert to their favoured response when discussing the police and these occasional safety checks.
“Oh, you don’t need to talk to the police, they cannot question you without good reason.”
First of all, this isn’t the case. Police are entitled to stop and ask you a question or two, particularly if your safety is the motivating reason. Secondly, my response to this tired refrain is simple. Why make an issue over a few polite questions and the occasional photo if you don’t have anything to hide? Particularly, given the fact that safety is the key motivator for the questions and the police are just regular folk, trying to do their jobs and tick off boxes of directives sent to each station. Chat to ten foreigners. Done!
The police have it particularly hard here, and the system they function in is far from ideal, so do cut them a little slack and perhaps say hello to the men and women in blue when you pass them on the street, or your paths happen to cross. They aren’t the enemy and a smile and a friendly word of respect goes a long way. You never know when you may need their services. Another factor that aids in cementing good relations is language.
Language
Most foreigners who have lived here a while can manage a few basic Filipino phrases, but their understanding of Tagalog and many of the local dialects is almost always non-existent. Ask the average foreigner about his Tagalog vocabulary and the normal response will be a few curse words and parts of the male/female body (men will be men).
The rewards, for those who put in the effort and time to master the Filipino languages, are immense. From a cultural point of view, and these are simply my own observations, actually understanding the language of your host country, helps break through cultural barriers and will provide you with real insight into how the Filipino see themselves and how their culture differs from yours.
You will no longer feel isolated and conversations around you and in your immediate earshot will suddenly take on meaning. No one appreciates this more than the Filipinos themselves. The fact that you have made the effort to understand them immediately makes them more accepting and that color divide and pointy nose evaporates. More importantly, your ability to understand the context of discussions unfolding around you increases your safety exponentially.
What’s the easiest way to pick up either Tagalog or a local dialect? Spend time with the Filipino, drink with them, sing with them, eat with them and attend all the functions you’re continuously invited to. If you intend to move here and lock yourself away from the local communities behind 6 foot walls, you’re missing out on the best thing about the Philippines. Her people.