Comments

• November 9, 2009, Dave DeWall writes: Hi Jan. First of all let me thank you for your post about The Rooster. It is very kind of you. I am going to write a post and link this great story you have. I have sincerely enjoyed reading it. Jan, all I can say is that you are a better man than me. No way would I would drive in a big city in the Philippines. Our little island of Guimaras would not be too hard to negotiate, but Iloilo City where we do our major shopping, no way. It is a way of life here, isn't it? Pay someone some pesos on the side and everything is taken care of. Thanks again for plugging my blog. It is very much appreciated. I owe you some san migs when we meet!
• November 9, 2009, Jan writes: Dave, Thanks for your kind words. Those San Mig....... I am looking forward to it !!
• November 16, 2009, Brian McKay writes: I didn't drive in Baguio and outside the city, where I lived for a year. I rode jeepneys and taxis (fast and inexpensive for Americans). In Malaysia, where no jeepneys were, I bought a motorcycle. Not knowing all the rules of the road, such as NO left turn on red, I got stopped by a traffic cop who tried in very broken English to get me to pay him for the violation and lack of a Malaysian license or motorcyclist permit on my Florida license rather than take a ticket home with me. I honestly didn't understand what he was getting-at initially, because he wasn't understandable. Eventually I realized that I could pay on the spot, BUT I knew that I didn't have sufficient cash (about $43) in my wallet. So I continued appearing dumb and agreeing to take a citation,... and the patrolman tired of me and waved me away rather than write a citation. Cool! Weeks later I was stopped again at a checkpoint for motorcyclists (sobriety? helmets?). I was wearing my helmet, and had no alcohol on my breath, the cop looked at my Florida driver license, recognized it/me, and rather than harass me again about not having a Malaysian license, an 'international license' or motorcycle endorsement on my FL license, waved me on. Cool.
• November 17, 2009, Jan writes: Hi Brian, Nice of you to stop by on my site. driving in the Philippines will be different from other countries in Asia because police officers here are all speaking some english. You can't get away with it. But with some money they usually let you go....
• May 30, 2011, Wilfried writes: I also drive in the Phils with mine car. Mine driver license is dutch with a declaration from the VVV office that i have a driver license. If i make a mistake will thy also confiscating my driver license (the dutch one)? By the way i am not living in the phils yet.
• May 30, 2011, Jan writes: Wilfried, All foreigners are allowed to use their foreign drivers license until their 90th day of stay in the Philippines. If they intend to stay longer and want to drive they need a Filipino drivers license. At every LTO office they will be able to issue one. If a foreigner is getting a ticket for a traffic violation it depends if the officer is a Police man or an officer from MMDA. MMDA officers are not allowed to confiscate licenses, but Police officers can and do so. Also foreign licenses will be confiscated. After paying the corresponding fine at the police station in the city where the license was confiscated, the drivers license will be returned.
• August 8, 2011, Sylvia writes: Kung hindi kayo magpapa-kotong, walang mangongotong. You shouldve given ur license instead of giving them money. It's like tolerating them na mangotOng. Just saying.
• August 10, 2011, Jan writes: I have driven once on a color-coding day and get a ticket. License was confiscated. To get it back costed me a whole day.
• September 23, 2011, Lucas writes: Hey Jan! The prices, that you've negotiated with the police officers are amaizing small... 100 pesos? Once I borowed a motorbike from my wifes friend and had a trip around the area. Unluckyley there was a police control on the road. The other drivers shouting to me and wave the hands, but I didn't know what's going on till I was stopped :). I've got no helmet, registration documents or driving license :). I've askqed to pay a fine of 5000 pesos and ofcourse motorbike confiscation. After very long talk I payed 1000 pesos to the police officers pocked and called myself lucky. Later on my friends said me that 200 will do and I've overpad extremely :). Lesson for future.
• September 23, 2011, Jan writes: Hi Lucas, I had my wife sitting next to me and she did most of the talking.... But today police and mmda are a little affraid to do so, at least they are not offering these practices anymore. I do not klnow how they react if a driver is offering to settle things....

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