Sad News from a "Friend" in the Philippines

I got this email from an acquaintance today:

I really hope you get this fast. I could not inform anyone about our trip, because it was impromptu. we had to be in Philippines for Tour..The program was successful, but our journey has turned sour. we misplaced our wallet and cell phone on our way back to the hotel we lodge in after we went for sight seeing. The wallet contained all the valuables we had. Now, our passport is in custody of the hotel management pending when we make payment.

I am sorry if i am inconveniencing you, but i have only very few people to run to now. i will be indeed very grateful if i can get a short term loan from you ($2,450).this will enable me sort our hotel bills and get my sorry self back home. I will really appreciate whatever you can afford in assisting me with. I promise to refund it in full as soon as soon as I return. let me know if you can be of any assistance. Please, let me know soonest.

At first it appeared to be from the guy's actual email address, but on closer inspection it wasn't. I do know some people, an uncle in particular, from which I might expect to get a call for help like this, but not this guy.

Telltales that this is not from an American from Illinois:

"hope you get this fast"
"sort our hotel bills"
"we misplaced our wallet and cell phone"
"the hotel we lodge in"
"after we went for sight seeing"
"our passport is"
"very few people to run to now"
"whatever you can afford in assisting me with"
"let me know soonest"

The sad thing is I want to edit the thing and have the scammer try again.

Update: I found an email dated 11 days ago with this subject line:

Congratulations you have won 1,000,000.00 USD from Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes that was held today,do email us back Claims Requirements: Name= Address= Mobile-No= Sex= Occupation= Country= Email us back: xxxonline@yyyyzzz.net

No body to the email, just a long subject. Sigh.