MANILA -- The government will be arranging a briefing with the diplomatic corps as move to appease foreign countries in the aftermath of the bloodbath in Quirino Grandstand Monday that tainted the Philippines’ image.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Tuesday that President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to brief foreign envoys that the country is still safe for tourist,
Seven Hong Kong nationals held hostage by a dismissed police office Rolando Mendoza were killed.
The tourists, numbering more than 20, were on their last day tour in the Philippines when Mendoza held hostage the bus they were onboard around 10 a.m. Monday at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
The hostage taker was killed in the incident.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs will be holding a briefing for the diplomatic to corps. From the said meeting come up with decision on travel advisories to the Philippines. This for the purposes of briefing the diplomatic corps of what happened and in the light of travel advisories in Hong Kong to assure them that such advisories are not needed for now,” Lacierda said.
Aside from the briefing, the government will also be forming a high-level delegation who will be sent to Hong Kong to give full details about the hostage crisis.
DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo will be part of the delegation. They are expected to fly to Hong Kong anytime this week.
Meanwhile, the executive department has gathered representatives from tourism, social welfare, local government, foreign affairs department, Manila government, charity and sweepstakes office and Red Cross to discuss what help the government could extend to the victims of the carnage.
As of now, the government has provided interpreters and social workers to the victims to help them cope from the trauma caused by the incident.
All expenses of victims while in the country will be shouldered by the government.
Lacierda however cannot confirm if they will be giving compensation for the family of the victims. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)