Canada’s travel advisory doesn’t reflect Mindanao situation: officials
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews) – Officials and other stakeholders have expressed dismay at and disagreement with the travel advisory issued by the Canadian Embassy warning its citizens against traveling to several provinces in Mindanao.
The advisory cited “serious threat of terrorism, kidnapping, high levels of crime, and violent clashes between the security forces and rebel groups” as the basis for warning Canadians against travel to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis
Occidental, and Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao; Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat in Soccsksargen; and Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay in Zamboanga Peninsula.
The embassy also advised its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to
Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, excluding Siargao Island, and Surigao del Sur in Caraga; and Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, excluding Davao City, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental in Davao Region.
Cotabato City, which is now part of BARMM and borders Maguindanao, was not included in the advisory but neither was it explicitly excluded like Davao City.
Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Maria Belen S. Acosta called the advisory “disheartening.”
In a statement released on Saturday, Acosta said that facts and conditions cited by the embassy for the issuance of travel advisories do not reflect the real Mindanao, which has enjoyed a promising growth rate of 7.2 percent and low crime rate of 14 percent.
“We are disheartened