What do you know about the Philippines and advice about what to bring?

My mom would like some info about travelingWhat do you know about the Philippines and advice about what to bring?
I'm from the Philippines and live here right now.





Bring a camera, sunblock, off lotion for the mosquitoes.. your atms (with cirrus/maestro/plus logo) will work on some atms but not all even if they have those logos... don't bring travellers checks... use your credit card or debit card at malls...





Bring lots of money, lots of affordable things here.





Don't buy pirated dvds or fake designer bags... you'll get in trouble at the airport.





If you take a cab, only take the ones with yellow or green marks on them like Reno, ABC, R%26amp;E and don't agree to have a contract with them, say meter only, some will ask for extra... 20 to 40 pesos is enough to add to the meter if they insist.





Hard to take cabs on weekends.





Depends on where you go, the city is too much traffic and polluted during rush hour... 6am to 9am and 4pm onwards...





Never drink the water unless you're sure it's Absolute or Wilkins.





Don't wear your bags on your back.





Don't trust anyone to take your picture with your camera, you may not get it back... sad truth.





Best to exchange your dollars at the money changers in SM malls and Robinson's Galleria and Glorietta.





Food is expensive and they don't give big portions.





All fastfood chains even McDonalds has chicken and spaghettin on their menu. :-)





Never take public transportation it's not safe. Go for taxis.





I don't think it would be wise to rent a car because parking is too hard and people drive like crazy.





From the airport, don't take a cab. Take one of those airport service vehicles if you don't have a shuttle to and from your hotel.





Don't leave anything valuable in your hotel room.





Choose a hotel like Shangrila, Mandarin, Intercontinental, Dusit, and Holiday Inn in Galleria, they are the nicest.





Don't tip everyone who asks for money at the airport, they have a bad habit of asking for money even if they didn't do anything out of their way.





Stay away from girls from the bars, most of them are high class prostitutes.





Pack light comfy clothes and comfy walking shoes.





Make sure you use deodorant and cologne it's really hot, humid and sticky.





If you have other questions, specific places you want to see, feel free to email me: ethannadine@yahoo.com





I'm usually bored hehehe...





If you need a travel guide, I'll be glad to go with you, all I ask for is free transportation, accommodation and food :-) And remember that I'm not for sale LOL





I would love to see the entire Philippines but it's too expensive for locals. Really cheap for tourists with dollars.What do you know about the Philippines and advice about what to bring?
Bring antacids, aspirin, warm clothes, a light raingear, and leave all jewelries, and wear a cheap watch like a Casio. You don't want to be implying you are wealthy when you go overseas and always watch your back. Trust no one.
All looks like good advice so far. Take as little as possible; most things are affordable/ cheap there. Stock up on clothes at good prices. Shoes are not such a good deal though because of quality issues.


Only take taxis with meters, and if you ask what it would cost to a destination just use that as a guide because it will probably be about twice what the meter will say. Don't just accept it because the driver will turn off his meter and charge you the agreed amount. Make him run on the meter anyway. Also beware when taking taxis from outside hotels because they will try to persuade you that they are hotel taxis which seem to command rates about four times the regular fare. For the guys, many taxi drivers are agents for the bar girls and although the drivers only get 50 pesos for a successful referral they are very persistent. So too are street sellers walking round Malate (Manila) in particular because of the number of hotels there and they are also agents for the bars but they sell Viagra, Cialis, fake Rolex watches and old US silver dollars. They do follow you and pester you greatly with their sales pitch. I have found though that to say NO is taken as meaning simply that you don't like their asking price. I have found that Tagalog HINDI is more useful.


Of course this mostly applies to Manila and cities like Cebu. Further into the provinces for example you can't avoid public transport because there may be no taxis. Tricycle drivers are generally reliable enough but for longer distances on buses or jeepneys you are vunerable to modern day highwaymen.They may board a non-aircon bus and take it over or road-block an air-con bus. The result is the same. They will take your cellphone, your wallet/ purse and jewelry. It is a good idea to hide you most valuable possesions and have a dummy wallet with a few pesos and a few useless but apparently viable cards. The hijackers are not always the most intelligent but it is best to have something to give them. I have no experience myself but many of my friends there have reported back to me their experiences.
I would n't tell you to bring any just bring yourself safe and sound,just the same person as she have known you,afterall you can buy anything here in the philippines,I know it better because my husband work in London too and when he came home we just bought pasalubong here,just bring lots of money.I know it coz me here in Philippines.