Got bitten in Irian Jaya (Indonesian part of Papa New Guinea) about 15 years ago - it gave me a fever for a night or so and the medics said if it wasn't for having taken the malaria tablets then I would have incurred full blown malaria. However this was Irian Jaya, a very remote part of the planet indeed.
So it is not as if I was completely green and blase when I first visited the Philippines without any anti malaria tablets whatsoever. Also, much has been said about the negative side effects of antimalaria medication and so one shouldnt take them too readily if not necessary.
Also, I followed what my wife told me and she assured me there was no need for such medication.
Like someone else said, I recall far more mozzies in Scotland than in the Philippines
