Hello again fellow travelers my last trip was last July and had a great time as usual, heading back that way in Febuary, will also head up to Subic Bay for a few days.

But we ought to share any information we have experienced on corrupt dangers in Angeles.

Now lets face facts, robbery is going to happen in any poor area if you dont watch your ass and use common sense.

If you attempt to pick up ANY girl outside of the bars or somebody who you are not absolutly sure works for the bar you are a idiot.

Going outside the general bar area without a escort from your hotel is again asking for trouble.

Now of course these are common sense tips that have popped up from time to time on various trip reports, but lately there has been a lot on the internet about set ups and extortion by the police. Now these could be legit but isolated cases, or cases fabricated on legit looking blogs by groups trying to shut down the "sex slave trade" in the Philippines.

I want to start a thread of first hand or witnessed cases and the details in Angeles.

If you have a strong account but the information is second hand feel free to post it but be sure to detail how you came by the information.

I totally agree about girls outside of the bar district. There are definitely a lot of un-necessary risks involved.

They are not guaranteed to be female

You have no recourse if you are robbed, drugged, etc.

These girls aren't checked for STD's.

A lot are addicted to shabu and have pimps/boyfriends which are always a problem.

Risk/reward ratio not worth it to me.

There are definitly enough bargirls to go around, why take the risks. One of those other unecessary risks is allowing a bargirl to invite friends to your room who you don't know. There have been Mongers victimized this way, where the bribe seeking police bust in on you with the unknown girl in your room, inform you that she is really only sixteen, lock you up and the ride through hell can begin. If you want a threesome or moresome, pay the barfines or at least know the girls and what bars they work for. You can hear stories from guys about how they met a girl on the street who rocked their world for 500 Pesos, you can also hear of stories of mongers that were locked up in hell for days or weeks until the shakedown ended with them paying thousands in US money to get out.

Just like you take small precautions when walking the street in the third world, why not take a little precautions with who gets in your room.

While I think that "Harry the Horse" is a bit of an alarmist, and he has his own axe to grind, I'm sure that there is some truth to his stories. For those that haven't google Harry the Horse Angles City and you will find his news letter. He owns a small local hotel and bar on the perimter. I think that his axe to grind is that he was an officer in the defunct bar owners business man's group and an organizer of the defunct "Tourist Police" I also believe that walking the perimiter at night is an unjustified risk. There are a few to many stories of holdups. Remember that the PI is not like LOS, every Tom, Dick and Juan can have a sawed off shotgun and the Police don't seem to care much.

On the other hand I've taken my motorbike all around the AC area, not just through the Clark lands, but to outlying villages and to San Fernando (next city down MaCarthur form AC) during the day and felt safe. I do think that the robbers like the cover of darkness.

Anyway take my thoughts for whatever you think that they're worth.

The two latest scams reported - A guy bought a pack of cigarettes from a street vendor. The vendor asked him if he wanted to buy some marijuana.The guy says he refused but the cops rushed in and hauled him off to jail for attempt to buy drugs. He had to pay 100,000 pesos before he was allowed to leave the jail.


Second recent scam - A monger picked up a street girl he had been with before so he felt somewhat comfortable with her. He took her to a ST hotel not the hotel where he was staying. When he went to the john to shower the girl left and let in a 13 yo girl who stripped to her underwear. She was accompanied by the police who arrested the fool when he came out of the john. He had never even seen the 13yo but how does he prove that ?

Had he been in his own hotel I think the desk would have stopped the 13 yo with a group of men from going up to his room or would at least have his back about who he came in with . I always stop and talk with the desk girls and let them see who I have with me. They don't keep IDs but they can spot underage girls or at least verify what girl you came in with.

BTW
I am not sure why this is a trip report ??

(Message edited by Khun_Mor on December 21, 2008)

The second scam wouldn't have caught me. because I wouldn't go to a short time hotel in AC. I want the security of my own better hotel. Up to now Pacific Breeze, but the upcoming trip I'm trying Lewis Grande. I think that they would be as good about protecting my door as PB.

The second scam worries me more. I don't generally buy anything from steet vendors or give money to the street urchins, but have probably made a few exceptions.

I do love AC, but I'm sure that I'm safer in LOS. Maybe Subic will have developed into the new PI monger haven and will have a little more monger friendly law enfrocement?

Hey Gurock
I worry when the young girls that sell those useless flutes or single roses get persistent and grab on to you as you try to ignore them and walk past them . Could be an easy sting if you try to pry them away . You touch them and an AC cop who doesn't have enough money that month could nab you for molesting the little "sweetheart". Those young girls are a royal pain in the ass !!

Lewis Grand will definitely take care of you as well as PB. I have gotten to know Lewis pretty well and have his cell phone number. Incredible guy to barhop with ! He has a huge influence in AC and would be an invaluable ally if ever needed in that kind of situation.

It's worse when those flute kids start calling you Daddy! It just skeevs me out.

Gurock
Forgot to mention if a girl shows up unescorted at lewis Grand they stop her and ask where she is going. Then they call your room and ask if it is OK she come up. Even then the beautiful doorgirl escorts her up to your room . I tried to get the doorgirl to stay for a threesome but so far no go. She's hot and she lugs your suitcase up to your room when you check in .
Her name is Rain -- good luck !!



(Message edited by Khun_Mor on December 21, 2008)

Hey KM, It's part on your good words that I'm changing to Lewis Grande from PB this trip. Part is that on the last trip my girl from Byrdcage wanted to eat Chicken Feet from street vendor at the pool when we goy back drunk at 4:00 AM. The restaurant girl wouldn't let her even if I paid for a plate of food for her just to have the plate so she could her eat them.

Also they screwed up the food more than not for my girls and me at late night swims. Than the final straw was that the elevator was broken repeatedly, and fixed at PI speed, while I was on the fourth floor. PB operates at full occupancy most of the time and is getting worn down.

When I was mad about all of this on my last trip I rode over to Lewis Grand took a tour and looked at how beautiful the rooms were, so I decided to reserve one of the Jacuzzi rooms for this trip. That door girl is just one more extra! I doubt she will go with an old guy like me, but I can always lust while I'm doing my share of bargirls.

The easiest way to stay out of trouble at any destination is to simply stay on the path that others have traveled and follow the usual routine.

When you start getting adventerous and wondering off to different areas is when you get into trouble. You never know where you are going or what type of area you are getting yourself into.

For example, lets say you were a foreigner visiting Los Angeles. You decide to go visit where there are no tourists and end up in a part of East Los Angeles with gang activity. In the same way, this is what can happen when you visit parts of foreign countries where other tourists have decided not to go...

The moral of the story is to stay on the path and follow the routine. They have an established system of bars in which you pay for women, take them out, walk them across the road to the hotel and fuck. If you stick with that, you cant go wrong.

On that note, you'd be wise to bypass Sky Traxx. It's the only pinoy bastion in the middle of foreigner-centric Field Ave action, and fights break out regularly. Knives are commonplace.

The gals love to go there, but the otherwise remarkably tolerant pinoys are not particularly happy with fat, middle-aged white guys invading their turf.

I agree with Tujunga about Skytrax. If your girl wants that type of place Klubclass is much safer and better.

On the other hand while Portege is telling us the safest thing to do, it is also the least adventurous. If you stay on Fields Avenue the whole trip and only venture to Perimeter Road during the afternoon by Trike, I'm sure it's safest. On the other hand if you have a long trip and make numerous trips you start looking for something to do besides drink and fuck. I've gotten to a point where I want a little more. Checking out a little countryside, especially if you have your girl with you can be a lot of fun. I still feel that precautions should be taken, sticking to places you can find the way back from, going in daylight, keeping your commonsense about you, going to countryside instead of city slum. To some extent safety is in the eye of the beholder.

There is this driver that has taken me to and from the airport since 2005. He seems like a nice guy, a friendly face and doesnt seem like the guy that would rip me off.

On my last trip in March, I saw this guy paling around with the outside Cialis vendors. The Cialis vendor then approached me and the driver came up to say that this guy was his friend.

They all know each other very well over there and probably would try to pull a scam on you once you are away from the main areas.

Here are some tips that I thought of which may increase your safety:

- Travel with a guide or in packs with other mongers. Im certain you can hire a male guide to come with you the entire day for cheap. I dont know if a male guide would help or hurt the situation though.

- Only take what you can part with. An older digital camera, no more then a certain amount of cash, etc.

- Dress like the locals. Dress down. Jeans and t-shirt routine. Mess up your hair a little and dont shave. A clean appearance usually means you have more money.

- When and if you are mugged, then have a "throw-down" wallet that has 50 dollars in it. Your real wallet is hidden somewhere on yourself. When the weapon is produced, remain calm and dont say a word. Throw the fake wallet down while taking steps backward with your hands slightly away from your sides moving slowly.

I was reading Epi's trip reports and there was a time when he got to feel real comfortable with the Phils. Then I guess something happened where he was mugged and he decided to go to Thailand.

I think its best never to develop a comfort level with any of these destinations to include Thailand. You should approach each destination the same way and take whatever measures you can to stay safe. Lots of articles on the internet that cover travel safety and getting mugged.

If you decide to stick with Fields exclusively and stay in the hotels on the street, I cant imagine anything going wrong. The only areas where something could go wrong is between the airport and Fields. Once on Fields, I feel safe and dont feel like anything is going to happen.

I always see police patrols on Fields and once saw a 4-man squad with M16s on my last visit. In the past during a period of increased security, I saw the Filipino army come in and place soldiers at each of the hotels with M16s. The police are crooked, but its nice to see an armed presence in a foreign land.

All those money changers on Fields dont have any problems. Most of the security in those changing booths is a joke and I think a few tough guys could walk in there to take all the cash.