Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines — Unfair and shotgun warning.
This is how Cagayan De Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez described the travel advisory issued by the United States state department for its citizens visiting and/or staying in the Philippines.
Rodriguez decried what he said is an unfair treatment towards the Philippines as the absurdity of the travel advisory puts the country in a bad light.
In a May 8 advisory, the US state warned its citizens against travelling in specific areas in the Philippines due to risks and threats to their safety.
The state put the Sulu Archipelago and Marawi City in particular in Level 4 Caution or Do not travel due to heightened risks of crimes, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.
Under the same reasons, the state also issues travel warnings in some other areas of Mindanao.
For US government employees working in the Philippines, they must obtain a special authorization in order to travel in the mentioned areas.
The advisory further added that the US government has limited resources and ability to provide services to US citizens in said areas.
Rodriguez argued that there are still a lot of safe places in the country for visiting and traveling tourists.
He emphasized that these kinds of warnings put the Philippines in a bad light, not only for American citizens, but to the international community overall.
He added that the tourism sector will be severely impacted, particularly Mindanao’s.
Following this, Rodriguez called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to summon US Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson to explain the travel warning.
He likewise urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to inquire DFA, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, and the Department of Tourism 9DOT) on the course of action they did after the issuance of the advisory more than 2 weeks ago.