Begpackers in Manila
Posting this so everyone knows. These guys stopped in the middle of the crosswalk on Shaw Blvd while the light was red and unfurled this banner. One white guy in a bucket hat started knocking on car doors. He knocked on my car door too, and when the Grab driver rolled down the window, he asked for money in Filipino, saying "kahit magkano lang" (any amount is fine). The driver gave him a few coins, probably because of the pressure. Otherwise, who knows, not even Jesus could save that guy. I wanted to confront him, but it wasn't my car, and he wasn't really causing a scene. Still, it's not right to beg local drivers for travel money.
I'd heard of begpacking before, but this was my first time experiencing it myself. I think this is illegal and goes against what's allowed on a tourist visa. The banner was also low-effort, and it didn't say anywhere which organization they were with.
If we did the same thing in their country, we'd be surrounded by police right away, maybe deported, and have our visas revoked. That visa takes a ton of paperwork.
I feel like the Philippines is attracting the wrong kind of tourists.
Honestly, this doesn't look like a begpacker. Since he spoke Tagalog, I figure he might be a mestizo. Most Western tourists can't even speak the local language, let alone Tagalog. To me it just looks like another Jesus freak trying to collect donations for his own church. And he's wearing long sleeves in this damn heat. Most Westerners don't do that.
Looks like he took a wrong turn in Bangkok
Tourists like this are nothing new. When I first came to the Philippines, I went to Boracay, and I saw hundreds of Western tourists sleeping at bus stops, in church courtyards, on the beach, and outside tourist hotels. It was shocking to see people from rich countries begging alongside Filipinos.
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