The shortest and most accurate answer to this question is yes.
Now, of course, that begs a couple other questions. Do you want to disappear in the Philippines? Some people are hesitant even to visit the Philippines because they are afraid they’ll disappear without a trace. This is pretty rare indeed for a foreigner, but it has happened. Indeed, like the proverbial “perfect crime” it may well have happened more times than we know … if the person really did disappear without a trace.
I don’t worry much about this happening to me at all, because I live here in the full sense of the word. I have family here, government records (both US and Philippine), rent and other bills to pay and a number of foreigner friends who know something about where I live and what activities I’m engaged in.
Now of course the other side of the coin is, what if I wanted to disappear … say to avoid legal actions pending against me? I certainly don’t advocate this and I often counsel people in my layman’s view that any legal action is not like wine … it does not improve with age. I recommend, and say, don’t do it.
That being said, I know personally there are many foreigners hiding from the law in one form or another here in the Philippines. The chances of them being discovered is actually pretty slim. If you don’t commit a crime here in the Philippines there are few, if any people who really care who you are or what you are doing.
The first time I came here, back in 1999, a lawyer friend offered me a way to defray some of my travel costs. He offered to pay me for proof of a fellow American’s physical address in a town near here. Ideally he wanted a photo of the gentleman entering or leaving his house which clearly showed the house in enough detail for a process server to take action. At issue were thousands and thousands of dollars in unpaid child support. This guy had left his ex-wife and children in the US and run off here to hide.
Much as I would have liked the money and as much as I hate the very thought of guys who run off on their kids, I opted not to pursue the issue any further. I’m a stranger here, this guy was less of a stranger, and who knows what friends he might have made … or even bought here over the years. There are thousands more like this fellow I have good reason to believe. I even know of at least one American who is legally practicing as a licensed private investigator here. Since we “kano” stick out like sore thumbs I am sure this guy doesn’t have to work too hard to track down a lot of subjects.
But it’s not for me … again … you never know who is connected to whom, and walking around watching my back all day and night is not relaxing for me.
There are many other Americans here virtually unknown. One fellow I know hasn’t had a Philippine visa in well over 20 years. He’ll likely die peacefully in his home someday, surrounded by literally dozens of foster children and grandchildren whom he has sent to college and otherwise helped along through life and nobody from the Philippine government is going to demand a visa in order to issue a death certificate.
Having lived in a number of counties as well as my own USA, it’s a cinch decision for me that is I did want to disappear, the Philippines would be the place to do it.
By the way, I saw an interesting article on the subject of Disappearing in the Philippines while researching … a blog I wasn’t familiar with before .. Untwisted Vortex. A worthwhile read, I thought.
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Hi Dave, this reminds me of some comments I have heard. I am always eager to hear that there are fellow expats around and want to meet them. But they don’t seem to want to “meet” and chat. I was told that if they don’t like to meet and chat, then they are here hiding from something or someone.
Must be lots of them then …
@Ellen: Indeed this couyls be so, ellen. I know that I too (and I’m not hiding from anyhting, really,
often shy away from meeting other expats, and in aprticular from attending the popular “expat gatherings” sort of affairs.
By expereince I find that there are characters whom I would just as soon not meet, and/or a group whose purpose is to meet to discuss how much better “we versus they” are. Sorry if that rubs someone the wrong way, but the truth is that many fellow’s idea of ‘having something in common’ simply becuase our wives share an ehtnicity is not really something in common at all.
Or else I am just a snob … people will believe as they will.
Yeah – we see the same types in our cruising world. But most times, we form a network to help each other. I think the difference is that we are all transients. When we visit a country, we normally don’t “take” but “give”. We buy locally, we use local services and visit and tour the country. Those that are considered longtimers there, or been doing the route several times are those we are wary about. Most are helpful, but there are always some that are scammers and preying on newcomers. But word of mouth goes around fast and we stay away from them very quick.
Anyway, don’t be too much of a snob – hehehe. I think I will eventually follow your style though – I am finding more “big talkers” here which I don’t have time for.
Ellen & Dave – Never thought about this before but I think I am planning my move to the Philippines because I want to disappear although not in the sense of the post. I look forward to the disappearing of $30 hair cuts, $6 bottle of beer, $270 doctor visits and many other things.
@Ellen: Yep, one sure does find a lot of ‘big talkers’ here. I don’t really know if it is the Philippines which somehow attracts them or whether it’s something in the water (or the SMB) which gets foreign men to so often be ‘big wheels’.
I used to think it was an American thing, when i was in the military we used to have a name for a ‘bull session’ where guys sat around and told stories … some of us used to say it was a game, called “First liar never has a chance” … or ‘Can you top this”.
However I’ve lived in other countries as well and I noted it often in my acquaintances in England and Germany and we can’t forget my dear Australian freinds … they even have it reduced to a simple acronym … FIGJAM which translates to “…. I’m Good, Just Ask Me”. I don’t know enough Thai, Korean, Japanese or Chinese to make a judgment about the men I knew and tried to chat with there … but my guess is, it’s more testosterone than culture.
And now that I’ve managed to alienate about 80% of my readership, I guess it’s better to move on to the next comment
I still remember when I was still taking Chinese courses (my very younger days), we were taught a lot of the teachings of Confusius. The one thing that stands out to this day are the lessons of humility. If you speak to the Asians, you will still hear a lot of “us, ours, we” and not so much of “I, me, my”. Alas, sad to say, most younger generations are losing this trait, and probably, most are too exposed to the “western world”. In fact, I’ve never heard of the word “ethnocentric” until I studied in Canada
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Every little island we’ve been to, we have seen economies mostly controlled by the Chinese, Indians, Japanese (Asians). If I was doing a thesis on this, I would think it is greatly related to the fact the they can easily adapt, mingle and remain in the background without interfering in local politics
. The locals will get very angry at them for controlling the economy and “getting rich”, thereby burning them to the grounds. BUT, they come back, quietly building up again and business as usual. Oops, I am getting off topic now … better shut-up.
@Ellen: Not off subject in any way, Ellen. In fact I’m staerting to think you live too close to Bob, whom I often find has been ‘sharing thoughts’ with me
I was woring on an article recently on this very subject … along the lines of the success of Chinese her ein the Philippines an dhow Filipinos of non-Chinese ethnicity view them. I think I’ll gte busy and finish it up for Bob’s magazine, it will get a broader audience.
Overall there’s a lot more than simple ethnicity and work ehtic involved, especially in the Philippines … I think a lot of Filipinos have read 1 Timothy 6:10 but failed to grasp the true meaning of the verse. … but that’s something to write about later
BTW, what is the latest on the haulout?
Haulout? Whew – so rush and I am scared. So I moved the departure date of Hubby – paid some money but that is better than rushing into something that is not quite ready. The guys here have no idea what they are doing – never seen it nor have they done it. So we have to do this one step at a time, using the salami technique – one slice at a time. Haha. In short, we have postponed this to the next high tide (around mid month). Thanks.
Looking forward to your article – but I should stay away from that
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Hi Dave. Well I’ve heard of stories about foreigner living in the Philippines trying to hide to their responsibilities back home. Though it’s not nice but you are right .. the possibilities of being trace down in the Philippines is pretty slim specially when you have no records or intentionally avoiding something from you hometown.
@hannahmurdalsh: yes it is all too easy. Someone recently said, “The BI checks up on us every tme we renew”. They do. Thing is though, what if you don’t renew? I’m in my third year here now and the only time I was ever close to someone checking my visa status aside from the BI was whenI ot my driver’s license. I absolutely don’t recommend it, but you can go TNT (tago na tago … Tagalaog for ‘hiding and hiding’) for years. I know that a number of foreigners do so.