Councilors shrug off travel warnings on Mindanao

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Mindanao bloc of the Philippine Councilors League played down fresh travel warnings issued by Britain, Canada and Australia banning their citizens to travel to southern Philippines.

 

Councilor Oliver Owen Garcia of Valencia City, Bukidnon and vice chair of the PCL Mindanao said the security situation in the south remains peaceful despite the ongoing military campaign in Marawi City.

 

READ: More countries issue travel warning on Mindanao

 

Garcia, along with 100 Mindanao councilors, were here Friday for the second leg of its sports peace program. He said Mindanao residents are apprehensive over the generalization of the travel warnings which could affect the image of the whole island. 

 

“These travel warnings is temporary and it will not be there forever. Besides, even if there’s a travel warning, their citizens are still coming anyway because it’s peaceful in many parts in Mindanao,” Garcia said in a conference here.

 

He said the travel warnings were just internal for the traveling citizens of the country that issued it.

 

Britain, Canada and Australia released their latest travel warnings after President Rodrigo Duterte extended the implementation of martial law in Mindanao until the end of the year.

 

READ: Congress OKs martial law extension by overwhelming majority

 

Garcia said the security situation has normalized in many areas in Mindanao with the implementation of martial law.