Recently I was having a casual conversation with a friend. It was a stock standard conversation, we talked about all the usual things like work and family life. Then she mentioned she had been to the hospital that morning to visit a friend. He had been struck down by dengue fever, so he was administered to the hospital for treatment.
As I am not native to the country, I was not familiar with the extent of the issue at the time. Though, it turns out the spread of dengue in the Philippines has caused some serious concerns. In 2015 there were over 200,000 reported cases of dengue fever, and it seems to be on the rise. There is at present no vaccine to prevent the transmission of this disease, the only solution, therefore, is to take precautions against the problem.
Dengue is caused by a family of viruses transmitted by the bite of striped Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. These mosquitoes multiply during rainy weather, but they can breed in any water-filled container the entire year-round. One mosquito bite is enough to cause the disease. And Dengue is an acute illness that typically follows a course of several painful symptoms and discomfort.
Once a person is bitten by the mosquito carrying the virus, the period for the development of the disease ranges from 5 to 8 days, but it can also happen over a period of 2 weeks. The signs of dengue start to appear in stages. In the beginning, these are in the form of chills, headache, pain in eyes, loss of appetite and a general feeling of uneasiness. There may be the pain in lower back.
The initial symptoms are followed by hurting pain in legs and joints. The body temperature can rise to 104 F(40 C), and heart rate along with blood pressure can decrease severely. Eyes can become reddened, and a flushing rash comes over the face and then disappears. Even the lymph nodes in neck and groin can become swollen.
The high fever and other signs of dengue as mentioned above last for a few days. This is typically proceeded by a sudden drop in body temperature – this is called defervescence. There is profuse sweating at this stage. Once again there is a small period of normal temperature, then the person may begin to feel better, but without any ongoing treatment, this is just temporary. Within a day or two, there is another rise in temperature, in which characteristic itchy rashes start to appear on the body. Then there is more fever which spreads to extremities to affect the whole body. The palms of hand and the feet can get swollen.
This fever is diagnosed when the patient complains of typical symptoms like a headache, eye redness, and heaviness, nausea, severe muscle ache and rashes. If someone has returned from an area where dengue fever had spread epidemically, he or she should consult a doctor even if the symptoms appear mild.
In many cases, it is not easy to diagnose dengue fever as its symptoms overlap with those of many other viral problems like West Nile virus.
Due to many painful symptoms affecting the body, the treatment for dengue is a long process; but as this is caused by a virus, there is no specific antibiotic to kill it. Hence the treatment largely comprises providing relief from the symptoms and signs of this fever. Plenty of rest and adequate hydration are prescribed.
To prevent the spread of dengue fever and being affected by its irksome and rather dangerous symptoms, it is important to safeguard your surroundings and keep them free of mosquitoes. Professionally provided treatments help here. Consult a pest control service in your area to take the measures.
There are no antiviral drugs to treat dengue. However, vaccines for Treatment are intended for maintaining proper fluid balance in the body and granting relief from the symptoms. Oral or intravenous rehydration is mostly used to sustain proper fluid balance. Blood transfusion is mostly prescribed to stabilize hematocrit.
There are no confirmed vaccines for dengue. However, work is in progress on a vaccine and for medications that target the dengue virus directly. Paracetamol is prescribed to control fever and reduce discomfort.
Prevention is sought by decreasing mosquito populace by eliminating the breeding ground and using pesticides and limiting vulnerability to bites using mosquito repellents and protective clothing.
As you navigate your way through the densely populated barangays of Manila, it is not uncommon to hear loud, delay laden vocals bellowing through the windows of local family homes. Filipinos also do not shy away from a challenge, you’ll often hear some vocally demanding OPM ballads, followed by a rendition of some 90’s R&B music such as Mariah Carey.
For many Filipinos, singing isn’t just a meagre hobby. The Philippines is known for producing some of the greatest singers in the world. This was highlighted when the world-renowned supergroup Journey – known for their vocally intensive music – recruited a Filipino singer to replace their previous frontman.
Karaoke is undoubtedly an integral part of the Philippines culture. Filipinos are brought up surrounded by singing. It becomes a normal pastime of everyday life. If visitors come to the house, they will all sing together, or if it’s a special occasion they will enjoy singing as part of the celebrations. No matter where you are around the globe you’ll find that in every home owned by a Filipino, you will find a karaoke system.
Many entertainment establishments in the Philippines joined the market with their own versions of karaoke machines. The karaoke industry is a lucrative market as the machines are used in gaming centres, bars, nightclubs, and karaoke establishments across the country. Because of the popularity of karaoke machines in the Philippines, many businesses made the move towards renting out their machines.
Karaoke booths are beginning to pop up all over malls in the Philippines
However, other than the usual karaoke machine seen and used by Filipinos, a new type of karaoke machine has been widely used across the country. Compared to the typical, bulky appearance of karaoke machines, these new machines are far more practical. These are the Magic Mic, which is a generic term used to define karaoke microphones. These Magic Mics have the karaoke system now built into the microphone itself.
One thing you may notice when singing karaoke in The Philippines is how often you will see images of famous locations used in the background of the screen. These companies have used the popularity of karaoke to boost the tourism industry in the country. They do this by showcasing famous locations around the country on their karaoke machines.
Sing like there’s nobody listening
I have found part of the popularity of karaoke comes from humiliating yourself in public. Belting out your rendition of Sinatra’s My Way is not recommended in the Philippines. The song is a means to either prove you have the chops to audition for American Idol or that you’re just dreaming.
While my experience was based on me and most of the others humiliating ourselves; I quickly noticed that anyone with the slightest bit of vocal skill can mildly entertain a crowd of enthusiastic drinkers.
Despite karaoke events being positives atmospheres; this atmosphere is sometimes ruined by fights, arguments, accidents and general negatively amongst families.
Though, karaoke is mostly an ingredient for an enjoyable night in The Philippines. If you are here for vacation, it is essential you schedule a visit to a KTV bar; immerse yourself in one of the modern-day cornerstones of Philippine culture.
As a side note, the term karaoke is often substituted with the term videoke. When you hear this don’t get confused – they both refer to the same thing.
One thing I have always said about The Philippines is that it’s an easy place to spend no money at all but it’s just as easy to spend a lot.
The Philippines still carries a reputation as being one of the best budget holiday destinations in the world. Due to it’s reputation I often find my self having this false sense of security thinking that I don’t need to think about my spending habits while I’m there.
Everything is so reasonably priced, what do I need to worry about?
This is until I check my bank statement, I’m quickly reminded that all those small purchases add up to something more substantial.
Once you account for dining out for meals, multiple taxi rides each day, maybe even sampling the local street food for a snack in between meals – It all adds up to a significant amount of money. Especially for those wishing to travel on a budget.
So in the article, I will talk you through some of the lessons I’ve learnt from my years spent travelling throughout the Philippines.
Manila is a sprawling urban environment which may be intimidating to commute through for the uninitiated tourist.
Budget transport in the Philippines
Jeepneys
For public transport, I usually try to avoid jeepneys as they are extremely uncomfortable due to me being almost a foot taller than your average Filipino. But if I want to make my money go further I don’t think twice about using a Jeepney.
When you could potentially be paying hundreds of pesos for a taxi ride around the city; paying a handful of pesos for a Jeepney ride seems like a fantastic deal for the budget traveller.
A word of warning – if you’re going to try jeepneys make sure you know where you are going, and ensure you’re taking the correct jeepney. Personally I feel if you are an inexperienced traveller in the Philippines I would stick to taxis or rideshare but if you want to save some cash jeepneys are always an option.
A habit I developed was always checking the local ride-share provider Grab before using any taxis. After being in a certain city for a while, you become familiar with what certain taxi rides should cost. You can then check Grab to see of the prices are more competitive, as Grabs prices do rise with demand, they can sometimes be more expensive than taxis.
Though, from personal experience, I have found their prices are significantly lower than what you would expect in a standard taxi ride. Also, Grab offers promos and referral bonuses, which can make your rides even cheaper.
Although now that Grab has a monopoly in the country, it is still good to have an alternative to using taxis. Having a variety of services to choose from is always a bonus for the consumer.
Another trade off with taking taxis is that you lose the security of using ride-share. With Grab you have a fixed price, and your journey is also recorded. When using a taxi, it is a good practice to note the details of the vehicle and ensure you decide on how you will be paying before the journey begins.
Domestic Airlines
Travelling domestically in the Philippines is generally quite affordable. There are flights between all the countries major cities throughout the day all at reasonable prices.
For those flying domestically you have the choice between the countries two main airlines – Philippines Airlines or Cebu Pacific. Cebu Pacific is seen as the more affordable airline but both airlines are usually quite affordable for economy travellers.
All in all air travel in the Philippines is quite straightforward. If you’re someone travelling on a budget I would suggest to look at Cebu Pacific. Although the airline does have a reputation for having significant delays which I have experienced first hand quite a few times.
Ferrys
For travellers serious about sticking to a budget, there is another alternative to travel the country. Ferrys are an extremely common means used by the locals to travel between the major islands.
There are ferries leaving daily from various major ports within the country which can take you to all the tourists hot spots, and at a fraction of the price of a plane ticket.
The major trade off with ferries is the time. Most flights within the country last ~1 hour whereas a ferry ride can take as long as 24 hours depending on where you are going. So for thoe visiting the country for a limited amount of time planes may be the better option.
This is a traditional Filipino food – Shrimp Sinigang. Filipino food is often quite simple but often very healthy and also tasty.
Budget for food in the Philippines
When it comes to buying food I can get a bit crazy, as I love to eat. I usually prioritize buying healthy food when dining out somewhere, which so far hasn’t really been a challenge. Traditional Filipino food is extremely healthy, and it is widely available at many different price points across the country.
The fact is the Philippines is full of so many cheap food options which won’t break your budget. The streets are filled with bakeries and BBQ stands where you can buy products for a few pesos. There are also lots of markets and srestaurants offering good quality food at a reasonable price.
Then you have the local favourite, the carinderia. This is a small eatery often ran out of somebodies home. Here you can find delicious, affordable filipino food, and BBQ. When visiting the Philippines dining at a Carinderia is an essential part of experiencing the local culture.
A warning about cheap FIlipino food
Although it may be tempting to always seek out the cheapest option you have to be aware that sometimes you’re getting exactly what you pay for. Occasionally food can be burnt or served in a very simple manner.
Some of the food may also be dangerous to eat, as some food is being sold out on the street you can not guarantee that the vendor has been meeting safe standards for handling their food.
Sometimes it may be safer to pay a little bit extra and go to the larger more wekll known restaurants where you can have a bit more faith that the food is safe to eat.
Budget accomodation in the Philippines
When it comes to accommodation I tend to gravitate towards mid-range hotels. I think a lot of people assume hotels in The Philippines cost a lot more than what they actually do. I tried renting a condo but when you factor in all the work to maintain it, plus buying all the products normally supplied by a hotel; it ends up costing about the same amount as staying in a hotel except it requires a lot more upkeep.
Really the Philippines has accomodation to suit every price point, it just depends on how comfortable you want to be. The Philippines is also completely covered by hotels, especially in the larger cities.
Due to the amount of hotels, it is quite easy for you to shop around for good deals. In some smaller cities you can turn up and negotiate a rate. Though, I recommend booking online in advance, especially in cities such as Manila, and Cebu. The Philippines is quite popular these days so to get accomodation in a good location you need to plan ahead.
So what should a budget traveller aim for?
If you really want to avoid breaking the bank your best option would be some of the new hostels popping up around Manila. Places such as Z Hostel offer clean, spacious accomodation, and all the modern ammenities you have come to expect such as hot water, wifi, 24 hours cafe, co-working space.
Z Hostel is very much suited to the more sociable, party going travellers. For a more relaxed stay I would look at Lub D in Makati. Lub D offers something for every kind of traveller, with modern, private rooms located in the heart of Makati.
The hostel has many different spacces to accomodate its guests. Theres a cafe where guests can relax with a coffee and something to eat. It also features a coworking space for the digital nomads, and a rooftop bar where you can socialise with locals and other guests while enjoying the amazing view over Makati.
Personally I love to book at the mid-tier hotels around Manila. A quick search on sites like Agoda.com will show you hundreds of quality, affordable hotels around the major cities of the Philippines.
I feel like the mid-tier hotels are still extremely affordable for your average traveller, but they still offer a comfortable experiencce for there guests in good quality rooms. I feel as if this suites travellers who still like their privacy and their own space.
I think as long as you avoid the older, extremely cheap places you cant go wrong. Older budget hotels and hostels tend to be unclean, you may find cockroaches and mosquitoes in your room etc. It really does pay to go for the better quality accomodation when visiting the Philippines.
Accessing your money in the Philippines
The Philippines is still very much a cashed based society. When you are in major cities such as Manila or Cebu you can get away with paying for things by card but once you leave these cities, you need cash.
Fortunately this isn’t very difficult as there are literally money changers, atms, and banks everywhere. You will not struggle to access your cash in the Philippines. My only advice would be to limit the amount of withdrawals you make as the fees can add up fast,
If you plan on visiting any isolated locations, you need to plan ahead. You will not have access to any banks so you will need to plan for how much cash you need and stick to a budget.
So the key message is – hunting around for better prices and negotiating is the key to living on a budget in The Philippines. There are so many bargains and cheap alternatives to your day to day expenses. It’s just a matter of putting in a bit of effort to find them.
So many questions were running through my mind at that moment. I was playing out different scenarios in my head, wondering how they would turn out. Was the driver going to get aggressive? would he back down if I become aggressive? Should I wait until we get to our destination, or should I bring it up with him now?
We had just arrived back in Puerto Princesa after spending some time in El Nido. We were at what seemed like a secluded bus stop on the outskirts of the city. The bus driver told us it’s best for us to get a tricycle to take us to the hotel from there. We were then approached by a driver who told us what seemed like a reasonable price, we were soon on our way to the hotel. The price hadn’t bothered me at the time because I was thinking we were reasonably far away from the city center.
Within minutes of our ride, I immediately had the thought “he is ripping us off”. I began to recognise the shopping areas and some of the restaurants we were passing. The driver had told us it was expensive because it was a 45-minute ride to the hotel. Once I knew where we were I could tell we were only 10 minutes away from the hotel at most.
Then I began to wonder what I should do, as I didn’t feel right paying what would be a 45-minute tricycle ride fare, after what wasn’t even a 10-minute tricycle ride. I ended up not saying anything until we got to the hotel, I waited for the porter to take all our luggage inside, I then gave the rider the normal price with a 20 peso tip as he had helped with our bags. I then immediately went inside the hotel before he could say anything.
Thinking back, it seems so ridiculous for me to put so much emphasis on a few pesos. What I spend on public transport in Australia eclipses anything I would pay to a tricycle rider in The Philippines. But the context of the situation caused me to lose perspective.
I usually happily tip drivers if they offer a good service. If they are friendly, take my bags and then talk a bit during the ride I will tip them well. But when you have somebody trying to take that extra money from you, even if its just a small amount it changes the whole dynamic.
That sort of behaviour just does not gel well with me. Basically, it comes down to me feeling like I am reinforcing the behaviour. If I get service like I described above I will pay them what I owe, nothing more nothing less. Whereas if I experience good honest customer service I feel like that’s the kind of behaviour which should be reinforced, so I make sure I compensate them nicely.
Comment your thoughts and feelings on this issue below. I would love to hear how others go about this issue, or just how you think it should be handled.
Before my first exposure to The Philippines, I spent several weeks leading up to my trip trying to plan out where I would be going, what sites I wanted to see, what’s the best way to get to these places… the list is almost endless. It’s hard to know what you should be expecting and in turn what you should be planning for when you are about to travel somewhere completely new to yourself.
Once you arrive you quickly realise that the extensive planning is a pointless pursuit in The Philippines. For example, on one visit I had a late afternoon flight from Cebu to Manila. After the flight, I had planned on going to my hotel for an hour or two then meeting up with some friends later on that evening. I arrived at the airport a couple of hours ahead of my flight, checked in and then begun to wait.
As the flight time approached, an announcement came thatour flight would not be leaving for another 2 hours due to bad weather. 3.5 hours later an announcement came over the address system saying that our plane had just left Manila. By the end of this, I arrived in Manila over 5 hours later than I had planned.
Another experience was not negative as such, but it just displays how unnecessary any sort of extensive planning really is. We were about to stay on a small island off of Cebu, at the time I had again been browsing the internet looking for tour groups operating on the island. I knew the Island was a popular holiday destination so I wanted to make sure I got a spot on a tour. Again this ended up being a complete waste of time, as the island was infested with tour group operators trying to get customers for their tours. When walking along the beach to our hotel we had a constant stream of tour guides asking us if we would join their tour group for the following morning.
I am now at the point where if I plan on travelling somewhere in The Philippines I will book my flights and 2 or 3 nights stay at my destination and then leave the rest of my planning for when I arrive. I always travel off-peak, during this time all the hotels are quite empty, so extending my stay has never been a problem. Booking late has also allowed me to stay in some extremely nice hotels at a very low price. I think a lot of the time it’s better to have somebody in the room at a low price than having nobody in the room at all.
Once you are at your destination you can then talk with the locals, the hotel staff, other tourists and find out more about what the best sites and activities are in the city. The tourism industry in The Philippines is quite big so most of the time there are always plenty of people around ready to accommodate tourists.
I have booked tours half an hour before they commence, I turn up for bus rides minutes before they leave and I generally book my flights the day before I take them.
My point is to not stress when travelling the country as there are so many options available to you. If you miss a flight, there will be another in a few hours. You may miss a bus ride, just get on the other bus leaving for the same destination an hour later. If plan A does not work out there’s always a plan B, C, D… you are in a country with some of the most hospitable people in the world, so you will be well looked after during your visit.
Is the Philippines safe? A question which has no doubt been on the mind of many foreigners planning on visiting The Philippines. They are drawn by the beauty and culture this country has to offer but may remain hesitant due to the very real risks present in some areas of the country.
There have been many highly publicized cases involving foreigners getting in trouble while travelling The Philippines. Unsurprisingly this can deter tourists from wanting to spend time in the country due to concerns for their own safety.
Further to this, a quick google search will also bring up plenty of news articles covering the frequent terrorist beheadings, vigilante murders, and the rampant corruption throughout the country.
Safety in the Philippines: My personal experience
I remember the very first time I travelled to The Philippines. I had no idea of what I should be expecting. The majority of the travel websites I visited would only show me the picturesque beach and jungles scenes which lure so many tourists to the country.
The thing is if you’re visiting as a tourist, that is all you really have to experience, there really isn’t much of a reason to go outside of these areas. Generally speaking, if you stick to those “touristy” areas, you’ll never have a problem.
Personally, I can’t say I have ever had an issue in The Philippines. The most trouble I have had was dealing with people trying to scam me out of ridiculous amounts of money.
So maybe the country is safe or maybe I am just lucky?
After all, a lot of my close friends have had negative experiences where people have pulled out knives of them, another has been robbed at gunpoint and others have been victims of snatchers.
The Philippines is full of friendly, welcoming people who will always greet you with a smile and a wave.
So how safe am I in the Philippines?
For me, it all comes back to is common sense.
Don’t put yourself in situations where you become vulnerable – walking the streets alone late at night, carrying valuable items out in the open such as jewellery or your mobile phone.
It requires a mindset of vigilance, keeping points in mind such as –
be aware of your surroundings when you’re out and about, and try not to draw too much attention to yourself.
Try to avoid crowded areas.
Do not acknowledge, or get too involved with beggars, although they are not bad people they can be opportunistic due to their circumstances.
Limit the amount of cash you carry on you during days out, always try to leave cash and valuables at your accommodation, ideally locked away.
So is The Philippines safe? Well, it is as safe as most other cities in the world, it is certainly not a hotbed for criminals. For me putting off a visit to The Philippines due to safety concerns is definitely not warranted. The country has so much to offer in beauty and its unique culture. Remaining safe is as simple as using your common sense and always remaining alert. As long as you stick to that you will have one of the most unique, memorable holidays of your life.
Cebu taxi drivers have just left one of the most positive impressions I have had with Philippine taxi drivers in a very long time.
As someone who spends a lot of time in Manila, I try to avoid using taxis by any means necessary.
I have even gone as far as trying to book accommodation within walking distance to the LRT and MRT, just to minimize the number of times I may have to rely on taxis to travel the city.
I remember long evenings spent on EDSA trying to find a driver who would offer a price below 1000 pesos for a 10-minute ride.
I remember an instance when a driver – with no explanation – pulled over on the side of the highway, got out and opened the trunk. He then went on to tinker in there for a minute or two. He then got back into the car, barely able to hold back the smile on his face and took off driving again with no explanation.
Within seconds I noticed the meter was moving extremely quickly, easily 3 – 4 times the regular rate.
By the end of the trip, a normally 100 peso ride was going to cost me almost 600 pesos. So I let him know I had taken down all his details and was ready to make a report, this was then followed by him almost crying and telling me to pay what I think the ride was worth.
Basically, if I decide to use a taxi I have to accept that I will be dealing with a scenario similar to these. There have been some days where I have travelled trouble free, not having to deal with drivers trying to funnel money out of me. But days like that are outnumbered by days dealing with hustlers.
At least up until I visited Cebu recently.
The Miracle Cebu Experience
The first thing I do on arrival to either Cebu or Manila is avoid the arrivals area. I will leave the plane to get my luggage and then immediately walk to the departure area to look for a taxi that has just dropped off passengers.
-I am so used to being overwhelmed with people offering 700 – 800 peso fares the moment I step out of the arrival area, now I just resorted to avoiding it completely.
The biggest hurdle I now face on arrival to Cebu is having to deal with an upset security guard, they usually aren’t too happy with people trying to find a taxi in the departure areas. I have been doing this every time I arrive in Manila and Cebu so I now have it down to an art.
Instead of being offered a ride to my hotel at a premium price, I now get a ride from the departure area in a regular metered taxi.
This is why Cebu City is now possibly my favourite city.
Next came my day to day travels throughout the city. This really caught me off guard, I was taking taxi after taxi, not once did they ask for a fixed price.
I would simply get into the taxi, they would then turn on the meter and begin the journey.
I don’t know if this was just luck or if there have been tighter laws have been put in place for taxi drivers in Cebu. Either way, it turned the usually daunting task of having to find a taxi driver who would treat you like a normal person into a simple operation which I had to no longer think twice about.
When getting taxis from malls I have noticed signs which stated that the fixed price rides were not allowed, this I think was the source of my pleasant stay in Cebu.
Every taxi ride I got was either from the front of my hotel or from a taxi queue at a mall. This means I was given the details of the driver and it seemed the driver had to follow certain rules if they were going to take passengers from those locations otherwise they would be reported and face disciplinary action.
Whatever has happened to keep the drivers in line with the first world standard of taxi service – it should be held in place.
Although they might not be making as much money through their scams, I feel it would draw a lot more people back towards using their services. I previously found myself resorting to just using Jeepneys or the more convenient Uber, so my recent experience has helped to build my faith again in the Philippines taxi industry.
My first encounter with the doctor fish came about by complete accident. It started with me and my significant other, laying in our room one morning – way later than we should have been.
I was browsing the internet looking for somewhere interesting to go while my girlfriend took care of her social media accounts. Our days were becoming too routine. I had become tired of doing the same things every day. It was about time we spiced up our day – even if it was only for a few hours.
While scrolling through Google I spotted the name of a place sounded interesting. It was called Rainforest Park Cebu; the website made me feel as if we were going to some nature reserve yet it sat in the heart of suburban Cebu. We went, only because of the lack of any better options.
The Park was exactly where the map had shown. In the heart of Cebu, sitting right next to 7/11 sat Rainforest Park Cebu.
The park has a collection of several interesting activities which I will admit are a lot more fun than I thought; especially the rope course they’ve set up. The main attraction I want to talk about is the doctor fish (Garra rufa). The small fish you probably have seen which seem to enjoy biting dead skin off of peoples’ feet.
We paid for the doctor fish upon entry so after finishing up our activities we made our way to the fish spa. At this point, most of the assistants seemed oblivious to our presence.
Basically, we walked into the area housing the fish, a small boy wandered into the room behind us. He turned on a small tap, then directed us to wash our feet.
From that point on we saw nobody until we left the area. Based on the looks on their faces when we left, it seemed the employees were not even aware we were in the spa.
The experience though was actually a lot more pleasant than what I expected. At first, there’s a period in which I had to get over having these fish feasting on my feet.
Once I began to relax and got used to the feeling, it began to turn from the sensation of small fish biting your feet to a sensation similar to bubbles rising around your feet.
Overall it was a nice way to finish our day at the Rainforest Park. It wasn’t anything miraculous like posters displayed in the room were implying; it just felt like a nice way to relax.
Experience Cebus leaders in doctor fish therapy
Eventually, word got out about our doctor fish experience. We received a suggestion to visit JMall in Mandaue as there’s a good quality shop also housing doctor fish, called Goodwill Dr Fish Spa. We took a while to find the shop; it was at JMall but it was housed in the basement next to the car park.
We immediately noticed the difference in the two services:
The fish at JMall are easily triple the size of the fish kept at the Rainforest Park.
There were also a lot more fish housed at Goodwill Dr. Fish Spa, this was probably the most noticeable difference; our feet were completely covered with fish, were at the previous fish spa there had been nowhere near that many.
The price was lower at Goodwill Dr. Fish Spa, although it’s a small price saving, I’m always happy not having to unnecessarily spend money
After the second fish spa, I again felt little effect besides feeling slightly more relaxed than what I was beforehand. There were a lot of claims made on some posters at the stores about health benefit stemming from using doctor fish, but it really seemed like they were stretching the truth. After using them I really think they are useful purely for people looking for a more interesting method of receiving a pedicure, or people who just want to relax for a while in a serene environment.
Am I going to be okay? Hygiene concerns surrounding Dr Fish treatment
It is important to note that investigations have lead to fish spas being banned in the USA. Unlike traditional instruments which are cleaned after performing a pedicure, the fish maybe used to treat several clients each day.
Concerns of fish coming into contact with multiple clients coupled with concerns regarding the fish secretion in the water have lead to suspicions of fungal and bacterial infections being transmitted to clients using the service. Especially clients who may have cuts or abrasions on their feet.
These issues were addressed by some salons, who attempted to keep the process as sanitary as possible. Many allocate personal foot baths to each client, they then limit how often they use each fish in a pedicure.
Many salons have begun using UV filtered tanks to store fish, also putting more effective filtration systems in the water tanks. This is to make sure any harmful bacteria which may enter the water is removed as soon as possible.
Despite the health concerns being minor, some salons go as far as inspecting the feet of clients. They want to ensure the feet are free from any open wounds before the clients fish spa.
No matter how far salons go, there will always remain a sanitation related risk, albeit minor. Therefore, it is up to the customer to decide whether they are happy to take part in the doctor fish experience or not after weighing up the risk.
So, what is a doctor fish?
The doctor fish or Garra Rufa originate in the Middle East. They are found in the rivers and hot springs of Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, and Syria.
That’s right, hot springs:
The fish are often found in waters averaging 28°C but they are also found in thermal springs which sits at temperatures around 37°C.
The fish are a kind of toothless carp which would eat algae, plankton, and other microscopic organisms found in the rivers. It also seems the fish enjoy the taste of our dead skin cells which they remove by scrapping their mouth along the skin of the foot.
After a crazy day out in Cebu City, I feel it is necessary to reflect on my Sinulog experience. My first exposure to the celebration was extremely positive and as usual, it was completely different to what I had been expecting.
We set off from our hotel early in the morning to pick up my girlfriend’s mother. She had also never experienced Sinulog so we wanted to take her to see it while she was in Cebu.
Now Cebu isn’t exactly a big city but for some reason, I was thinking we had a long ride ahead to get to her mother’s accommodation. Surprisingly, within the space of roughly 30 minutes, we managed to –
take a ride out to where she was staying
we waited for her to get ready for the celebration
We then took another ride back to Mango Avenue
I’m usually not a fan of wasting time, so this efficient start to the morning put me in a good mood.
Experiencing the Sinulog Festival
We had arrived to the festival early that morning. The streets had yet to reach their peak in regards to crowd size. What stood out to me at that point was the number of street vendors operating around Mango Avenue. Every spare inch of space along the side of the street had been filled with vendors.
We began to make our way down mango avenue to find food. The lack of crowds gave us the prime opportunity to eat before the streets began to fill up. Plus, the parade still had roughly 7 hours left until it ended so we were in no rush to begin watching it.
After eating we managed to walk a short distance along the side of the street until we eventually found a break in the crowd where we could see the parade. There we watched the amazing of music, dance, and costumes along with the celebrity performances which really left an impression on me. After seeing the rich display of culture it was hard for me not to fall in love with Sinulog.
After a long day of taking photos and watching the performances, we decided to end the day and take care of a few responsibilities. This took us away from the epicenter of Sinulog for the rest of the evening…
Return to the Sinulog Festival
Where we were staying is actually one street away from the epicentre of the Sinulog parade. We had begun our journey home for the evening to call it a night. At that point, it was beginning to hit the early hours of the morning.
We had taken a motorbike so we could get as close to the hotel as possible. Considering the streets were full of people getting home via a taxi was near to impossible.
By that time the streets had reopened, the crowds were still becoming increasingly dense, so using the motorbike eventually became pointless. At this point, the dynamic had completely changed. We were walking into a completely different atmosphere. The family dynamic atmosphere had left and was replaced by an air of anarchy.
What had put me in this mildly negative frame of mind stemmed from a couple of immediate experiences which ruined the mindset I was in after a really fun day at the parade.
As we walked into the crowd people began to turn to us and throw paint at us which at that point I was completely used to and totally fine with. But then we had individuals taking advantage of the circumstances and pushing the boundaries.
On a couple of occasions as I was greeting people, I was hit in the head from behind on both occasions by young men who would immediately run to hide in the crowd.
It didn’t really get to me at that point, From what I saw they both just looked like some young drunk street kids. So I’m sure they had been neglected by their parents, in teaching them any sort of behavioural boundaries.
Shortly after those two incidents we became stuck in a crowd of people trying to squeeze through the traffic around Fuente circle. I slid past the back of an ambulance which had its lights and sirens going, in the back, the curtains had been left open.
The ambulances sirens were so loud it was almost deafening, the driver was also holding on the horn. Despite this it wasn’t going anywhere. The crowd was just too thick. No one seemed to want to pay attention or even acknowledge that it was there.
Time to go home?
So there I was sandwiched between a group of people and the back window of the ambulance. I turned my head and was immediately hit with a strange feeling of frustration and sadness.
An older gentleman was laying on a stretcher in the back with a nurse by his side. He was trying to breathe in so deeply I could see his chest lifting up from the stretcher. This disturbed me, as this man was being prevented from receiving the help he needed due to completely avoidable circumstances.
It disturbed me seeing people drunkenly celebrating this day in honour of the baby Jesus, sliding around this ambulance without a care in the world while literally not even a meter away from them, a man who could have easily been any of their fathers looked like he was fighting for his life.
At that point I was done, I was yelled over to my girlfriend who was a couple of meters away, telling her to stick close to me as we would start trying to get home. Moments later I hear her yell, saying someone had been rubbing their fingers down her back.
I had been patient up until then, but for me, that was time to get out of there. I pulled my girlfriend right up behind me and began to use my size to get through the crowds. We were finally making some progress.
As we began to approach our accommodation the crowds began to thicken up again. We had to stop in at a 7/11 to get some refreshments and water for the hotel. At that point, I was beginning to feel a lot more positive as we were almost home. But it turned out the events for the evening had not yet come to a conclusion.
As I walked out of the store a young man immediately decided to step in front of me. He then wittily remarked that he found a souvenir, he then reached over and pulled the hat from my head. It was beyond me why somebody this size would want to fight somebody having a significant size advantage over them.
I immediately pushed the guy straight back, he stumbled into the people standing behind him. I went to grab my hat back, but he had decided to keep going so he reached up and grabbed both my wrists. This got me more frustrated so I through my elbow around aiming for his face; but at this point, it was broken up.
My hat was returned to me, then we moved on. By the time I got home, I had completely flipped from being in love with the celebration to resenting it.
Summary of my Sinulog experience
The incidents involving the bad behaviour did not disturb me as much as I thought it would. It was easy to see most of those people were extremely drunk, plus I achieve nothing by dwelling on it.
Now I am at a point where I have kind of compartmentalised my Sinulog experience into two different sessions. I like to think that what I experienced during the day was the true nature of Sinulog.
I spent the day surrounded by thousands of people and only had a handful of negative experiences after the conclusion of the festival. It’s just a shame that it is those negative experiences which usually stand out the most.
The fact is that if you have that many people together in one place it is almost inevitable that there are going to be some arseholes present. For me, that point needs to be recognised in order to move on and see the celebration for what it really was.
For me, it’s a beautiful day out in Cebu surrounded by family, experiencing a rich display of the culture and history of the area. I now realise that I really am thankful that I got to be part of the magical experience for the first time this year. I look forward to again joining the celebrations many more times in the future.
Upon arrival to The Philippines, you will quickly notice that the primary form of public transport looks a little different to what you are used to. This small bus like vehicle which you will no doubt come across are known as the Jeepney.
Their unique paint scheme and flamboyant accessories would make someone start wondering how these became part of the Philippine culture? What caused Filipinos to begin to modify these vehicles and use them as public transport?
Origins of the Jeepney in the Philippines
The Jeepneys were made from the US military jeeps, left over from the Second World War. The Americans had been using the jeeps during the several years The Philippines had been occupied by the Japanese. After the war, there were tens of thousands of jeeps littered across The Philippines. Once the time came for the Americans to leave, they would either sell or give the jeeps to the Filipinos.
After the Filipinos had attained the jeeps, they stripped them down and then added more seats to increase the number of individuals it was able to accommodate. Due to their widespread use, a need for a roof over the jeepneys became necessary to operate in the harsh weather conditions. The need to provide comfort for the passengers pushed the jeepney owners to make roofs a standard feature on jeepneys.
In addition to these changes, some decorations were added to make it more attractive and appealing to the potential passengers. Ornaments and bright colours were used to decorate the Jeepney in order to attract more customers.
The above changes made to the jeeps to convert them to the Jeepney were preparatory steps to have them in public transport service. There was a need to re-establish a public transport system that would no longer be expensive as the previous public transport system which was in place before it had been destroyed during the Second World War.
Jeepneys become a public transport staple
The rate at which the use of Jeepneys in the public transport sector kept on increasing as time went by. When the government of Philippine realised this, they enacted some regulations to guide the operation of the Jeepney. Those people who were driving Jeepney were now required to have licenses to operate on public roads. Apart from licenses, the drivers were also designated regular routes and established fixed prices for transporting people along these routes.
There is no doubt that a time came when there were no more jeeps to be converted to the Jeepney. To continue supplying the Jeepney, factories were set up to produce Jeepneys from scratch. It is now still possible for a person to get a new Jeepney from these factories. This also ensured a continued use and expansion of the use of Jeepneys.
Lastly, you may be interested in where the term Jeepney actually came from. Well, Jeepney is a combination of two words namely jeep and knee. The word jeep was used because a Jeepney came into existence because of the refurbishment of the jeeps. The knee part results from the crowded seating in which an individual will be forced to sit knee to knee.
