‘No double standard in US travel advisories’

MANILA, Philippines - A top US diplomat in the Philippines said the US state department has no “double standard” rule in declaring travel advisories.

Ambassador Philip Goldberg said the State Department is objective in making travel warnings for a particular region and area for the safety of the general public and US citizens.

“We try to be as specific as possible,” Goldberg said during the first “Ask the Ambassador Google Hangout” on Friday.

In the case of Mindanao, he explained that there are certain areas that are more problematic than others.

“But sometimes it looks as though the whole is the same. But what we have said is that people are to take precautions in traveling to Mindanao,” Goldberg said.

In April 2013, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia, Jr. urged the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) members to help the Philippines convince the State Department to reconsider the travel warning issued against the Philippines that placed the country in the category of dangerous nations.

Cuisia said it was “ironic” that the Philippines was placed by the US government in the category of North Korea, Somalia, Pakistan, South Sudan, Mali and Haiti upon the recommendation of the US embassy in Manila.

Goldberg said the US travel advisory is not a matter between the Philippine and US governments which has good relations but a responsibility of the US to its citizens.

“We wouldn’t advise somebody to travel there if we aren’t traveling ourselves so that’s part of how the decision is made,” he said.