This is a candid travelogue from a visitor who found the Philippines both captivating and deeply disappointing. Drawn by YouTube visions of a tropical paradise and personal freedom, the author discovered a darker undercurrent beneath the beautiful scenery.
His journey through Manila, Cebu, and Angeles City was consistently marred by one overwhelming feeling: being treated as a “walking ATM.” From transactional bar encounters where hostesses’ interest vanished the moment he stopped buying drinks, to aggressive taxi scams, dual pricing for foreigners, and even a boat tour that became a high-pressure sales pitch, every positive experience was shadowed by a financial expectation.
The final straw was a traffic accident where the other driver, who was clearly at fault, immediately tried to extort money from him, seemingly because he was a foreigner.
While he acknowledges the country’s beauty and the help of some honest locals, the cumulative effect of these relentless monetary pressures led him to a difficult conclusion: the Philippines is a place to visit, but not a place where he, as a retiree, would feel genuinely respected and welcome. This is a raw reflection on the emotional cost of being seen not as a person, but as a wallet.
I have added a 4K Philippine city walk to the video so you can have some nice views while listening to the story.
🇵🇭 Do you have a story from the Philippines or south-east Asia that you would like to share? Feel free to email [email protected] and we will get it read out!
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