[Eric in the Ozarks]

My dad was planning to take early retirement from the Army and join International Paper as a paper mill engineer. First we were headed to Laos in ‘62. When that began to look dangerous, a paper mill project was proposed for the P.I.
Mom, dad and I were in a cab in downtown Manila when another cab driver hit the back of our cab. Our driver stepped out and emptied the magazine of a .45 at the other driver. The other driver pulled his .45 and let loose with five or six rounds. My dad, my mom and I crouched down in the back of a little Renault. Not a single round hit anyone. After the accident and exchange of gunfire, we traveled on our way...

[buwaya]

WWII and the guerilla wars turned the country into the Wild Wild East and it persisted for decades, a major long term cost of WWII.
I grew up there at that time. Your scary place was my hood. Manila in the 1960s was a fairly gracious place overall actually, especially for Americans, we knew many long term residents, families of expat executives like your dad.