THE Honorary Consul of Finland to Mindanao has criticized foreign travel advisories that discourage visits to Mindanao, calling them unfair and damaging to the region’s economy.
Tony Peralta, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines-Southern Mindanao Business Council (ECCP-SMBC), raised the issue during the Business Matters forum on February 21, 2025.
He argued that such warnings deter foreign investment and hinder business expansion, reinforcing outdated misconceptions about the region’s safety.
Peralta pointed to Canada’s blanket travel advisory issued in January 2024 as a major setback, emphasizing that Mindanao, particularly cities like Davao, is as safe as many urban areas worldwide.
“Each place has its risks, but the way Mindanao is depicted makes it seem like a place of hopelessness," Peralta said.
He also blamed international media for fueling misconceptions, noting that reports datelined in cities like Cagayan de Oro and Davao give foreign audiences the false impression that conflict persists.
“I think now I'm beginning to understand that the aspect of travel advisories and why they are issued is because of the kind of reports that are fed to them by the different sources and most of these reports are very unfortunate na ang dateline reporting is let’s say established areas like Cagayan de Oro, Davao City so akala ng mga readers a Europe that there is a problem here in Davao, that there is a war (As a result, readers in Europe assume there is a problem in Davao or even a war),” Peralta added.
Despite these challenges, Peralta remains optimistic about Mindanao’s potential as an investment hub. He urged the private sector to play a more active role in development, stressing that while government plans are strong, execution often falls short due to resource limitations.
On December 19, 2024, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs revised its travel advisory for parts of Mindanao, Philippines, lowering the risk level for several regions from Level 2 to Level 1. This downgrade means Japanese authorities consider these areas safe for travel, though they still advise visitors to exercise caution. Peralta expects this change to boost tourism in Mindanao by attracting more Japanese travelers to the region. DEF