MALACAÑANG assured Thursday, January 3, that travel to Mindanao is "very safe" and the New Year's Eve explosion in Cotabato City was an "isolated case".
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the assurance after the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia issued separate travel advisories, warning their respective citizens against traveling to Mindanao because of terrorist activity.
In a press briefing Thursday, Panelo said the Philippine government understands the UK and Australia for issuing such travel advisory.
Panelo, however, gave assurance to the two nations that their citizens would not be harmed should they decide to visit the southern Philippines.
"You know, it's natural for any foreign government for that matter to be concerned sa welfare, sa safety ng kanilang mga mamamayan (to the welfare and safety of their citizens)," the Palace official said.
"And we cannot blame them kung nagkaroon sila ng ganyang pananaw sapagkat nagkaroon ng bombahan sa Cotabato. But 'yun ay isolated case lang naman. So insofar as National Defense Secretary [Delfin Lorenzana] is concerned, it's very safe to travel sa Mindanao," he added.
(And we cannot blame them if they think that way because there has been recent explosion in Cotabato. But that's an isolated case. So insofar as National Defense Secretary [Delfin Lorenzana] is concerned, it's very safe to travel to Mindanao.)
The UK and Australia gave the warning, following a bomb explosion in front of the South Seas Mall in Cotabato City on December 31, 2018. The incident, which has been blamed on local terrorist group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, left two people dead and 34 others injured.
The UK, in an advisory on Monday, advised its citizens to reconsider travel to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of "terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups."
Australia likewise warned its citizens to exercise "high degree of caution" when traveling to the Philippines. (SunStar Philippines)