Philippine Department of Tourism Travel Advisory – PDOT Assures ‘Business As Usual’ Despite Maguindanao Incident

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (November, 2009) — The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) has assured that the Philippines remains on a business as usual mode, despite the killing of some 46 individuals in the Southern province of Maguindanao.

Despite the alarm caused by the incident, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano assured stakeholders of the tourism industry that the Philippines remains an ideal destination for tourism activities, business meetings and conferences.

The tourism chief made the assurance following the directive of Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo putting the Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City under a state of emergency, aimed at speeding up the investigation and arrest of the individuals involved in the incident.

The directive also places authorities including the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines on full alert to prevent any untoward incidences in said areas.

Durano stressed that the incident is isolated and confined to the three areas, and does not involve tourism spots frequented by travellers.

He said that the country’s major tourist destinations such as Boracay, Palawan, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro City, and Davao City, among others, remain safe and open for foreign and local visitors.

He enjoined members of the travel and tourism industry in avoiding confusion in the country by providing accurate and up-to-date advisories to both the Filipino public and international guests.

“The incident in Maguindanao is an isolated case and should not hamper the tourism promotion activities of the government,” Durano said.

He noted that travel services to and from the Philippines are continuous and that services for local and international guests are available.

For information on the exotic, 7,107-island Philippine archipelago, visit www.experiencephilippines.ph or contact the Philippine Department of Tourism in Los Angeles at 213-487-4525, San Francisco at 415-956-4060; New York at 212-575-7915 or Chicago at 312-782-2475.

Philippine Department of Tourism

The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) is one of the Executive Departments of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines responsible for the promotion of travel to the Philippines, tourism investments, and enhancement and preservation of tourism products in the country. Field offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco provide the following services free of charge on a selective basis: dissemination of tourism information, maps, brochures and posters; lending out of videos, CDs and other tourism-related materials; recommendations on places to visit; endorsement of relevant entities; and assistance to those traveling to the Philippines. These offices also engage in a number of promotional activities: presentations to travel organizations, travel trade shows, media inserts and joint marketing arrangements.

The Philippine Department of Tourism is headquartered in Manila, Philippines, with offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. For more information, contact the Philippine Department of Tourism in Chicago at 312-782-2475 or visit www.experiencephilippines.ph

November 30, 2009   Posted in: Philippines