Erasing the stigma
EmbassiEs exist to help and advise their citizens on how to handle themselves when visiting other countries. it is but natural and, in fact, the duty of the government of any country to prioritize the safety of its citizens and advise them to exercise caution when necessary.
That’s why Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said it was only fair for the United Kingdom and Australia to issue a travel advisory on Tuesday, warning their citizens against traveling to some parts of Mindanao following the blast in Cotabato City on December 31, which killed two and injured dozens.
Meanwhile, US airlines were also recently ordered by the United States Department of Homeland Security to alert passengers in writing regarding inadequate security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Aside from ordering all airlines to issue written alerts to passengers, the DHS also ordered all US airports that provide regular flight services to Manila to prominently display the security advisory on the Naia.
A balikbayan traveling to Manila took a photo of one such warning posted at the security line of the Miami International Airport, which read: “Passengers are advised that the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined that Ninoy Aquino International Airport [Naia] in Manila, Republic of the Philippines, does not maintain and carry out effective aviation security measures.”
Of course, these travel advisories to the Philippines and the warning about its premier airport could easily raise questions and concerns, even images of a worst-case scenario, that can make tourists cancel trips to our country.
While it is important to remember that not every part of a country with a travel advisory is dangerous—as many of our foreign visitors have already found out—and that there are variable levels of risks that exist within any country, this hardly matters. There are some tourist destinations that are very sensitive to the security factor and travel advisories, and the government, together with tourism stakeholders, have to face this situation squarely. They have to promote the Philippines not only as a fun tourist destination (as our tourism slogan says) but also a safe one.
Selling the Philippines is not as formidable a challenge as one might think. We are not at war, nor do we have any kind of civil strife or disease outbreak that puts security and safety as grave concerns. And the Philippines, indeed, is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
Although the recent advisories and warnings contain information that should never be taken lightly, these could also be recognized as short-term events or issues that could be solved with prompt action, in the case of local airport authorities, and aggressive marketing and promotional campaigns on the part of the tourism department.
Local airport authorities should immediately address the concerns cited by the US Transportation Security Administration regarding the Naia, like inadequate staffing for the screening of passengers and luggage, inadequate landside-security measures, contingency plans, vehicle screening, upgrading of x-ray machines and the installation of walk-through metal detectors and alarm systems, in order to adhere to internationally accepted security protocols and standards.
But there are problems that need immediate attention, like the congestion around the Naia complex and the long queues at the gates and check-in counters.
Our airports need to be fun to both arriving and departing passengers. For many travelers, an airport terminal provides the first—and maybe even final —impression about a destination.
We really wish the government and airport authorities can find immediate and permanent solutions to better manage airport congestion, including major infrastructure and logistical changes that should have been done 10 years ago, like the expansion and development of secondary gateways that could ease the volume of traffic in the primary airport terminals of Manila, moving the airlines and support services to them and establishing transport systems for them, in order to accommodate the millions of tourists expected to arrive because of the government’s renewed tourism campaign.
In the end, travel advisories may be small things compared to the bigger problems like the lack of appropriate infrastructure to service the needs of tourists and to encourage investments in the sector.