When expats complain about the Philippines (a favorite activity here) many of the complaints fall under the general category of “noise pollution.”
By comparison to their Western home countries, noise pollution is everywhere and includes: every animal in the Philippines, karaoke, loud stereos, excessive horn usage, and even loud talking. Some Westerners, used to the quiet of their country of origin (a quiet enforced by the cops), struggle with a society that makes no attempt to remain quiet. Frankly, quiet here is downright un-Filipino.
When I hear expats complain about noise pollution my first thought is ” did you visit the Philippines before you moved here?” There is not a corner of this country in which you will not be awakened to the sound of roosters. I always loved the Dylan line, “When the roosters crow at the break of dawn, look out your window and I’ll be gone.” Dylan doesn’t know squat about roosters. They don’t crow at dawn; they crow whenever the hell they feel like it.
Frankly, I like roosters. When I would visit the Philippines as a tourist I would love the roosters on the first morning. It felt like I’d arrived home. OK, let’s acknowledge that I’m nuts.
Dogs are ubiquitous here. People let them roam their property or roam the streets. They bark like, well, dogs. They shit where they want. This is sort of the way it was when I was a kid in the U.S. (yes, I am that old). Pooper scoopers did not exist. People did not walk my neighborhood with their dog in tow and a plastic baggie on their hands. As a pedestrian it was your responsibility to avoid the dog shit. I guess some people think it’s progress.
And back then dogs barked. As a kid there was a German Shepherd two doors from us. When you passed their home the damn Nazi barked at you and slammed into the front window, testing it for weaknesses. Few kids in the neighborhood ever went into their home, despite the fact that the family daughter was smoking hot. During the summer she occasionally came to our place to swim in the pool. No way I was going to her place no matter how good she looked in a bathing suit.
When I was a middle aged divorced dad with two kids, I bought a dog for the kids. Spent real money to fence in the back yard for the dog. She loved it and when I took her out there she ran and ran and barked her head off. The other neighborhood dogs in their fenced in yards barked as well. They were having a high time. That is until I got the call or text from a neighbor telling me that my dog was barking and they were having difficulty concentrating on Masterpiece Theater. I liked my neighbors so in came the dog. If she was lucky she got a half hour run/bark session. I know what you’re thinking – why didn’t I take her to a dog park like every other responsible dog owner. Because I had spent $300k for my own home so that dogs and kids and possums and squirrels could act like animals and kids.
In the Philippines if you tell your neighbor that his dog is barking too much and keeping you from enjoying Antiques Roadshow they will react by…well I don’t know but I sure want to be there to see it!
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Karaoke and music: If you’re married to a Pinay you certainly should be aware of the country’s love for singing and music. There’s simply no understanding the concept that it disturbs your peace any more than the concept that it’s your neighbors’ fault if you stepped in his dog’s crap.
I know guys who have complained to neighbors about late night singing, though come to think of it, I haven’t heard from them lately. It might be cheaper and better for your health to buy a good pair of noise cancelling ear buds.
Motorcycle and car horns: I have written about this but horn usage is the primary method of vehicular communication in the Philippines. People honk to tell you they’re passing. People honk to tell you they’d like to pass but can’t till you get the hell out of the way. People honk at night to tell you that’s it’s cheaper to honk at you rather than turn on their headlights.
People honk in front of our house a lot. It’s the one thing Janet does not like about our rental home. Our bedroom is very close to the road. The road curves there and it’s sort of a blind curve, so drivers honk before entering the curve just in case someone is coming the other way. It’s very polite of them really, except Janet wakes up and wants to do a lot more than honk at them; I suspect a bolo would be involved.
And finally, Filipinos can be loud. They are friendly and fun loving people and as they walk by your home they are talking, giggling laughing, singing and just having fun. Unfortunately they are not thinking, “Gee, I bet that foreigner is watching Masterpiece Theater. We’d better be quiet.”
Personally I prefer happy people making a bit of noise rather than quiet miserable people. I’d rather roosters do their thing (on my street I am just as likely to wake up to cows mooing than roosters crowing). There’s a lot worse things to hear at night than singing. Fortunately I’m a good sleeper and do own a pair of noise cancelling ear buds.
