My first time going to the Philippines

Stick to areas where the upper middle class go, and business districts (if you're in a city). Laoag is pretty safe. Vigan is pretty safe too. Tourist spots can have scammers and tourist traps, but there isn't much kidnapping of tourists going on. Most Filipinos aren't criminals. But every now and then there are cab drivers who overcharge, that kind of thing.

If you like history, take a day to check out Intramuros.

If you're interested in cultural and historical sites, Thailand is the place to be. That's not what the Philippines is. It has some nice people and beaches, though. I never made it to Vigan myself; I was told it's basically one nice street with not much around it, but it could be worth a visit. There's also Intramuros in Manila, but it's a very small area. Manila is safe, but it's not a place to visit for fun. It's not enjoyable to explore; it just has a few malls and a red-light district. If you're set on the Philippines, good luck to you, it's a great country. But having lived there for many years, I feel from your post that it's not quite what you're imagining. The Philippines does have some real 'wow' places, but they're all natural: lagoons, waterfalls and so on. That's the attraction. I'm in Chiang Mai right now, and it has culture and history for days, plus better and cheaper food (though beer isn't cheap). Grab is an excellent service, but I'm not sure you can get to Vigan with it, since it's a long way. 12go shows luxury buses for $20, about 9 hours, and private hotel transfers for around $300 haha. I suspect Grab would be similarly expensive. I'd suggest watching a YouTube video of Vigan before investing that much time and money. If you do come, I really believe you'll have fun. The locals are very friendly and fun to chat with. Literally everyone you smile at smiles back, which doesn't happen where I'm from. It can be a frustrating place, but if you just go with the flow, it'll get its hooks in you. Good luck!

I've been to Manila a lot, but I've never taken any kind of city tour, so I don't really know what cultural spots Manila has outside the government area where the US embassy is. That said, my trip to Puerto Princesa was fantastic in terms of what felt like very normal tourism. I took a city tour that went to some amazing places, including a memorial to the American soldiers killed by the Japanese during the occupation.

The Philippines is as safe as anywhere. I'm from New York City, which is where you might have gotten that not-so-fresh feeling in your panties that you slipped into your post.. Vigan is very safe and chill. It's also cool, but in my opinion it's only cool because it's unique in the Philippines. Nowhere else in the Philippines has anything like Vigan, which, as others have said, is a few blocks of European-style cobblestone streets with lamps, and it feels… European. I enjoyed it, but only after more than 18 months of traveling all over the Philippines, because it's different from other Filipino cities. If you're going there, and yes, it's a pain to get to, also visit the nearby rice terraces in Northern Luzon, which are UNESCO too.

Just so you know, someone already invented travel agencies to take care of all the worries you listed here. You're welcome.