Security Guards Philippines

Bank Security Guard Philippines

Security Guards Are Everywhere!

When I first arrived in the Philippines I departed the plane at the international airport in Manila.

A friend met me at the airport and drove me to his family home. His family served a snack and soda. We ate on their front porch. 

I asked about good low cost places to stay. They referred me to an apartelle. It was the first place I stayed in the Philippines.

After resting up after 3 flights and a total of almost 24 hours of air travel I went across the street to the local SM Mall. It was there I first began to see armed guards. They were at the entrance to the mall. 

Armed Guards At Mall Entrances

They poked a stick into the sling bag I was carrying and searched it. There were guards at the entrances to many shops and stores inside the mall. At the bank branches, drugstores. At the cinema.

During the next five years in the Philippines I have ridden jeepneys and taxis into and out of the main business districts of Manila and several other cities. I have been walking on sidewalks near banks when the armored trucks arrived. When the driver stops in front of a bank guards get out and join the two or more bank guards. They are armed with pistols, shotguns and even automatic weapons (Armalites). Guards facing all directions around the truck. Probably not a good idea to stick around when the armored car pulls up.

Gated subdivisions have guardhouses and armed guards at their entrances. I was looking for a house to purchase and visited a subdivision that had guards at the entrance and even had guard towers around the perimeter wall. I was told that several armed guards patrol the subdivision day and night.

At first it is somewhat disconcerting to see armed guards everywhere but one gets accustomed to it.

In fact I got so comfortable with living in the Philippines that eventually we rented an apartment in a subdivision which had no security other than the local police force. We never saw them in our neighborhood until once, when we had only a short time left on our lease, I called them to complain about our landlord who started remodeling while we were still living there.
It seems he had hired a couple of guys to start knocking a hole in the wall adjacent to us so that he could create an archway in order to combine our unit with the one next door. He thought one larger would bring him more money than two smaller units.  The workers accidentally knocked a hole all the way through our wall and debris fell on our sofa. Well I deemed that an invasion of privacy. 

The police jeep pulled up in front of our unit. The officer in charge got out with several of his troops formed a circle around him and me. Dressed in black uniforms they had rifles and shotguns at the ready. Apparently routine procedure in this rural area. 

Magalang City Hall

The officer advised me that, if I wanted to, I could go to the police station at the city hall and file a formal complaint and have the landlord "blottered." Which I did. Not long after the incident our lease was about to expire, and we moved out.

If you move to the Philippines, I am sure you will get used to the presence of armed guards. In fact, you may soon appreciate a feeling of security you may not have known in your own country.

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This post will be expanded. Check back for more information about uniformed and armed security guards in the Philippines. Posted December 15, 2016. Last updated June 3, 2022.

Home Security Philippines

Security Systems

Home Security in the Philippines

Many homes and apartments are fitted with window units wherein the bars are an integral part of the window unit and the swinging windows. These are cemented into the casement very securely. In essence, when you open the windows, the openings are still protected by a grid of bars on the inside.

Steel window unit with integral bars.

Most homes and apartments in the Philippines have steel or iron bars covering their windows. The bars are welded to a steel or iron frame around them. Then the bar unit is screwed or bolted into the window casement.

Window bars mounted in the casement.

Some window bars are mounted outside the casement.

Window bars mounted outside the window opening.

Some window bars are made of re-bar as are some security fences and gates. Some are fancier wrought iron.

Many apartments, homes, and townhouses have gated car parks.

Gated parking areas at townhouses.

You can purchase some inexpensive home security devices like what you find at Ace Hardware of the USA. Ace Hardware . Many Philippines stores are located in malls.

At Ace Hardware you may find smoke detectors, carbon  monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, window bars and more.

Ask around and you can find metal workers who can make security window bars and gates for your property.

Of course, some of these products are also found at other hardware stores in malls.

You can find electronics stores in malls that sell more complete home security systems which include CCTV cameras, sensors, alarms, and DVD's.

10 Ways To Secure Your Home in the Philippines

Shopping malls and many stores in the Philippines have uniformed armed guards at the entrances and inside stores.

Security guards at mall entrances.

Want to do it yourself and save money? Read "How to install a home security system." It details how to install a kit system using door sensors, window sensors and fire sensors.

Read my article about self defense in the Philippines.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about  home security and security systems in the Philippines. This page last updated April 28, 2022.

Money and Banking in the Philippines.

Banks in the Philippines

Money and Banking in the Philippines

Visitors to the Philippines - check out Currency Regulations in the Philippines before leaving home.

Use this handy International Currency Converter to find current exchange rates. This is not a warranty of its accuracy, but I have found it to be quite accurate. 

BPI 

Which bank to use in the Philippines? My favorite bank is the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI). Banks in shopping malls often have many people waiting to be served. Some have seating for those waiting, some do not. For example, Banco de Oro (BDO) has long lines and few seats, and it is common to stand in line for up to 45 minutes before being called to a teller. On the other hand, BPI has chairs or padded benches to relax on while you are waiting to be called. BPI has a ticket system where you enter information about your transaction (deposit or withdrawal, etc.) The machine will issue you a ticket with a number on it. Your number will be called when you are next to be served. If you need to see a bank officer your wait will be shorter.

Another difference between BDO and BPI:  the last I knew BDO charges a fee to deposit and a fee to withdraw money. BPI does not charge such fees. If you discover that they now charge fees, please notify me by commenting below.

Some of the largest banks in the Philippines:

1. Banco de Oro Universal Bank (BDO Unibank)
2. Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company
3. Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
4. Land Bank of the Philippines
5. Philippine National Bank
6. Development Bank of the Philippines
7. China Banking Corporation (Chinabank)

The banks most commonly found in shopping malls are:

Banco de Oro (BDO), Bank of the Philippine Islands

(BPI), and China Banking Corporation (Chinabank.)

A more complete list of major banks in the Philippines.

If you are selecting a bank, ask the bank manager if there are safe deposit boxes available. I have read that you must be a regular customer and must have large deposits in the bank. I just discovered online that Philippine National Bank (PNB) offers safe deposit boxes and has the fees posted (call the bank to confirm.)

If you are in the USA or another country and want to open an account with a Philippine bank. You may want to use PNB which has many offices in the USA and other countries.

Warning: I tried to cash Travelers Checks at Western Union in Manila and discovered that they do not accept them. Almost nobody accepts them. Do some research online before purchasing them. I have read that some banks, hotels and restaurants will accept them.

Warning: if you wire funds to a bank in the Philippines there will be a wait of about 10 days before the funds will be available to you. The money arrives at the bank within hours or a day or two but for some reason the money cannot be withdrawn fast. If you write a check on a U.S. bank it will take 30 days to clear.

If you are planning on staying for an extended length of time in the Philippines, it is a good idea to open a Peso account and a Dollar account (or an account in your home currency.) Everything is priced on Pesos. And, with a Dollar and Peso account you can wait until the exchange rate is more favorable before exchanging your currency for Philippine Pesos. Another reason is so that you can exchange Dollars for Pesos at the "onshore rate." It will cost you considerably less than exchanging in your country.

If you send money via Western Union tell them you want the money to arrive in the Philippines as US Dollars. If you send it as Pesos you will lose when your dollars are converted to Pesos by Western Union.

There are money changers with small sidewalk offices, but it is much safer to change your money in a mall. Often there is someone looking over your shoulder while changing on the sidewalk.

If you exchange a large amount of money at a mall you can ask a bank guard to request a mall security guard to take you to your car. If you do not have a car then exercise extreme caution. Be aware of who may be watching you exchange, be aware of anyone who may be following you. Take precautions. Maybe take a family member, relative, or a trusted Filipino friend with you to the bank.

Banks and bank branches usually have at least two armed security guards. One outside and one or two inside.
They are armed with pistols and shotguns, are very professional, happy to answer questions.

Armored truck personnel are more heavily armed.

Need to hire someone to work for you? See information and charts about how much money do Filipinos earn?

Check out foods to avoid in the Philippines.

Discover Filipino Foods Americans Like.

You will find many American restaurants in the Philippines.

There are grocery stores where you may buy American and European foods.

Malls in the Philippines are World Class! And they feature world class cinemas and restaurants chains from all over the world.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back to read more about money and banking in the Philippines. This page last updated July 18, 2022.

Malls In Philippines

Robinsons Place Mall, Ermita, Malate,
Metro Manila. Click on image to enlarge.
This mall is about 5 blocks
from the new US Embassy.

Malls in the Philippines are definitely World Class!

As of now I no longer endorse any of my former food blogs.

I went Vegan in 2013.

If you want some good food delivered fast visit our online Vegan Tribe Cafe and order now.

Picture above is of Robinson's Place Mall in Malate, Metro Manila. It is within walking distance of the U.S. Embassy.
Visit Robinsons Malls web site to find locations of all Robinsons Malls in the Philippines.

Glorietta Mall in Makati, Philippines.
An Ayala Mall. Click on image to enlarge.

Go to the Ayala Malls web site.
At their site you can find locations of all Ayala Malls in the Philippines. The Ayala Land corporation also builds fabulous housing developments and condos. If you buy a residence in an Ayala development I believe it will be very well maintained, based on what I have seen in my travels.

 

Panoramic view of SM Mall of Asia.
Click on image to enlarge.

Go to the SM Supermalls web site to find locations of all their malls.

We visited SM City Clark Mall in Angeles City in 2018.

Malls in the Philippines are usually crowded in the afternoons and evenings. And I mean crowded!
The outdoor air temperature is usually quite hot so malls are great places to cool off. Good places to grab a bite to eat. Meet the locals and shop.

Malls always have armed security guards at each entrance and inside the malls. In many malls there are armed guards at the doors of many of the stores inside the mall. Don't be alarmed, in 5 years visiting malls I have never seen an incident.

In these malls you will find most of the restaurants listed in my article about American restaurants in the Philippines. At these places you may enjoy cheap dining in the Philippines.

See my tips about foods to avoid in the Philippines.

There is a jeepney station across from Marquee Mall in Angeles City. From there you may travel to many spots in Angeles City. There are also stretch multi cabs which travel from Marquee Mall to SM City Clark and to SM City San Fernando. The trip between Marquee Mall and SM City Mall in San Fernando is in the larger, more comfortable vehicles will use the NLEX highway and will take about 20 minutes. The fare is a little higher than jeepney fares, but well worth it.

Discount Clothing in Divisoria and Baclaran, Metro Manila

If you are looking for extreme bargains on clothing for men or women there is a place called Divisoria where there are many deep discount clothing stores selling good quality clothing not just cheap clothing. This is where many merchants buy stock for their stores. The public is welcome to shop here. Just beware of pick pockets, purse snatchers and  other unsavory characters. For safety it is best to go there with a Filipino friend who is familiar with the area. Dress down and keep a low profile. Wear no jewelry or fancy clothes or watches. I once made the mistake of negotiating for a pair of jeans. I paid 500 Pesos, and my wife told me she could have got them for 200 Pesos! So, from then on we used the following method to shop outside of malls. To get the lowest possible prices let your Filipino friend do the shopping and negotiating. Best if you wander by yourself at a distance from your friend and have a prearranged signal to let them know which items you like. Then they can go buy the items you have selected while you stay away from them. Be sure the vendors do not discover that you are together!

Use this handy map and directions to get to Divisoria.

Do not make friends with people who approach you or greet you on the streets or anywhere. Likely conversation, "Hello sir, where are you from?" "I am from USA." "Oh, I have been there" or "My uncle lives in......"  It is best not to carry on such conversations.

Another place to shop for discount clothing is an area called Baclaran. It is in Paranaque, Manila.

At Baclaran you can find a huge selection of childrens' and adult clothing and many goods featured in shopping malls but at bargain basement prices. Huge savings! Here is another map and pictures of some products for sale at Baclaran.

If you ask locals you will also discover which malls permit vendors to set up inside the malls. There you can also find some very good values. For example there are vendors inside Greenhills Shopping Center located in San Juan, Metro Manila and Robinson's Mall in Ermita, Malate, Metro Manila (see picture above). Some other cheap malls in the Manila area are Metro Point Mall on Taft Avenue in Pasay in Metro Manila and the 168 Shopping Mall.

Armed Security Guards check bags
at most malls we have visited.
We always feel safe in the malls.
 We have never seen an incident in a mall.

Probably the safest places in the Philippines are the world class shopping malls. There are armed guards at all entrances. They search inside all handbags, backpacks, sling bags, all other bags and even sealed boxes shoppers bring into the malls. They even do a quick pat down at the waist checking for weapons (as seen in the picture).  I'm sure they also are experts at profiling.

Inside the malls many merchants have uniformed guards at their entrances. 

Considering Buying or Selling real estate in the USA or Internationally?

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back to read more about shopping malls and discount shopping in the Philippines. This article last updated March 30, 2024.