Lifting of C. Visayas travel advisories pushed

CEBU CITY – The Central Visayas regional police hopes the travel advisories issued last year for the region, particularly in Southern Cebu, are lifted soon.

Regional Intelligence Division chief Sr. Supt. Jonathan Cabal described the security situation in Southern Cebu as “very peaceful and manageable.”

“So, I find it difficult to comprehend that the advisories given by those embassies since last year have not been lifted already,” Cabal told reporters.

Last September 22, the United Kingdom advised its citizens against travelling to Mindanao and Central Visayas.

“The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises against all travel to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups,” the advisory reads.

The FCO advised against “all but essential travel to the remainder of Mindanao (excluding Camiguin, Dinagat and Siargao Islands) and to the south of Cebu province, up to and including the municipalities of Dalaguete and Badian, due to the threat of terrorism.”

Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and the United States issued similar notices.

Cabal said that despite the advisories the influx of tourists to the south of Cebu remains high.

Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office showed that in the first four months of this year, the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Central Visayas rose to 904, 807, or up by 11.39 percent from last year’s 812,260.

During the four-month period, DOT logged over 2 million arrivals. Cebu province continued to account for the bulk of arrivals with 1,496,305 guests.

Among the region’s top foreign tourist markets are Great Britain and France.

In November 2016, the US also issued an alert on travelling to Southern Cebu, saying that “terrorist groups are planning to conduct kidnappings in areas frequented by foreigners on the Southern portion of Cebu Island, specifically the areas around Dalaguete and Santander (to include Sumilon Island).”

Soldiers clashed with members of the Abu Sayyaf in a Bohol town last April, just two days after the US embassy in Manila issued warned its citizens against travelling to Cebu and Bohol.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Senior Superintendent Eric Noble also called for the lifting of the travel advisories.

Noble said that full security measures were in place and that law enforcers are not not keeping their guard down.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, reportedly, has urged embassies in the country to first check with the national government before issuing travel advisories.