‘No plans for travel ban to South’

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Spain has no plans to issue any advisory urging its nationals to refrain from traveling to the southern Philippines, its ambassador said yesterday.

"I am here and my presence is an assurance that it is safe here," said Spanish Ambassador Luis Garcia Cerezo, who visited this city to personally assess projects financially assisted by his government.

Cerezo was accompanied by Jose Maria Taberne, coordinator of Agencia España de Cooperaccion.

Cerezo expressed hope that his government would increase its funding aid to different projects in conflict-stricken communities in Central Mindanao.

This, he said, would depend on the progress of the ongoing projects and the bilateral meeting between the two countries scheduled in Manila in September.

Last year, Spain poured in about 7.4 million euros in assistance to education, health, water supply, fishery and agriculture, environmental and social projects in the South, Taberne said.

Taberne said the Philippines is one of his government’s three priority areas in the Asia-Pacific region. — Roel Pareño