America's travel advisory is misleading, says Manila

America's travel advisory is misleading, says Manila

MANILA (UPI): A Philippine official yesterday continued to
protest a United States State Department travel advisory that
warns Americans against traveling within the country's crime-
infested areas.

Justice Secretary Franklin Drilon said the advisory is
misleading because it paints a picture of an unsafe Philippines
for foreigners.

"To say that the Philippines is a country like Bosnia is not
correct," Drilon said.

Drilon stressed that crime occurs in all urban centers, adding
that "Manila does not have a monopoly on crime."

Drilon was the latest government official to join the recent
barrage of protests aired against the travel advisory issued by
the U.S. Embassy in Manila in September 1994 and made public last
month.

The travel advisory assessed the peace and order situation in
the Philippines and said that crime "is a serious concern."

The advisory noted the government's efforts to engage in peace
talks with rebel groups, but added that "nevertheless, rebel
presence and/or activity ... poses potential or real security
concerns."

U.S. Embassy officials in Manila have not lifted the advisory
despite earlier protests from other Philippine officials. Embassy
spokesman Jim Nealon said the U.S. State Department assessment of
crime and violence in the country was "fairly accurate."

The Philippines' Foreign Affairs Department did not question
the accuracy of the advisory but has requested the U.S. Embassy
to clarify that the so called unsafe areas are far from
metropolitan Manila.

"Representations have been made categorically stating that
there are concerns about the unbalanced picture given of the
Philippines," Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Romulo said.

Romulo said that Jolo, 800 kilometers south of Manila, and the
other areas cited in the report do not reflect the general state
of peace and stability in the Philippines.