Philippine Travel Journal - Day Two

As much as we in the USA believe we have heightened security measures its a real eye-opener to visit an area like Mindanao.  Armed security guards are a way of life here in every aspect of public life.  Men in uniform wielding M-1 rifles, machine guns, shotguns and sidearms are commonplace. 

The one main difference I've noticed here from the other similar areas of the world I've visited are the guard's personality.  In the middle east and other high violence areas security personnel are not at all friendly, they speak...you listen.  Here in Mindanao the security staff carry the same air of authority but they do it in a very polite and friendly manner.  They truly appear to be here to protect and serve.

From stepping off the plane I was immediately approached by the local police representative at the airport to inquire about my purpose of being here and to ensure that someone I trusted was going to meet me there.  I stepped outside to smoke a cigarette with him and he showed me a poster listing the most wanted terrorists in Mindanao, each accused of kidnapping or other heinous crime.  This wasn't a scare tactic as much as his way to let me know this was something to take seriously.  He seemed very much relieved when I talked about our NewHelix staff and how I was going to be working with them the whole time I was here.

Armed guards at the entrance to the local mall in Cagayan de Oro: