EDITORIAL - Another travel advisory

President Aquino is still fuming over the terror alerts issued by six countries, questioning the “sincerity” of allies yesterday in Yokohama as the head of one of the countries that issued the travel advisories sat beside him. The President lamented the issuance of the advisories during a business gathering on the sidelines of the leaders’ summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

As the President continued to question the basis of the travel advisories, another one was issued the other day by APEC summit host Japan. The advisory is issued regularly near the end of the year when tourist arrivals from Japan usually increase, Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura told a press conference at his residence. Unlike the other travel alerts, however, the Japanese advisory did not mention any terror threat. Instead it warned prospective visitors to take the necessary precautions against criminal activities in the Philippines such as robbery and kidnapping.

Those problems were also raised by the Koreans after a series of criminal assaults on their citizens along C-5 Road from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Law enforcement agencies now seem to be intensifying their campaign against the hijackings, robberies and other criminal activities along C-5, which cannot be perpetrated without the connivance of certain individuals at the NAIA.

In Mindanao, kidnapping and other forms of banditry, apart from the continuing threat of terrorism, have long deterred tourism, investment and development efforts. The conflict areas of Mindanao have also been covered for years by travel warnings, periodically updated, which are issued by various embassies to their citizens. The advisories were updated earlier this month based on intelligence reports of a possible terrorist attack even in Metro Manila.

We will know if the threat is real only if it happens, or if someone is arrested and linked to a terrorist plot. The likelihood of being a victim of ordinary crime is higher and must be given priority. There are criminals even in the most developed countries, but what is important is for the government to show that vigorous effort is being made to keep the public safe. The best response to travel warnings is to show that this is a safe country for residents and visitors alike.