DOS Philippines Travel Warning

[El Capitan]

Not sure how many are off to the PI anytime soon, but since Jim hasn't done any updates recently, I thought this could be of interest if you were thinking of a trip -

Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
This information is current as of today, document.write(Date()+".") Thu May 03 2007 13:55:17 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time).

PHILIPPINES

April 27, 2007
This Travel Warning updates information on the security situation and reminds Americans of the risks of travel in the Philippines. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for the Philippines issued June 16, 2006.
U.S. citizens contemplating travel to the Philippines should carefully consider the risks to their safety and security while there, including those due to terrorism. While travelers may encounter such threats anywhere in the Philippines, the southern island of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago are of particular concern. Travelers should exercise extreme caution in both central and western Mindanao as well as in the Sulu Archipelago.
Kidnap for ransom gangs operate in the Philippines. In January 2007, one such gang abducted two U.S. citizen children outside their home in Tagum City, Davao Del Norte, in Mindanao. The New People’s Army (NPA), another terrorist organization, operates in many rural areas of the Philippines, including in the northern island of Luzon. While it has not targeted westerners in several years, the NPA could threaten U.S. citizens engaged in business or property management activities, and it often demands “revolutionary taxes.”
Terrorist groups, such as the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Jema’ah Islamiyah, and groups that have broken away from the more mainstream Moro Islamic Liberation Front or Moro National Liberation Front have carried out bombings resulting in deaths, injuries and property damage. Recent incidents have occurred in urbanized areas in Mindanao. On January 10, 2007, separate bombings in the cities of Kidapawan, Cotabato and General Santos killed seven people and injured 41. While these incidents do not appear to have targeted Westerners or Western interests, travelers should remain vigilant and avoid congregating in public areas.
Many people who reside in or visit areas that face terrorist threats, such as in Mindanao, travel with their own security force, avoid an obvious presence, or both. In some areas of the Philippines, especially in Mindanao, visitors should avoid travel at night outside metropolitan areas. U.S. Government employees must seek special permission for travel to Mindanao or the Sulu Archipelago. When traveling in Mindanao, U.S. official travelers attempt to lower their profile, limit their length of stay, and exercise extreme caution.
The Department strongly encourages Americans in the Philippines to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Manila through the State Department's travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov. The U.S. Embassy is located at: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines, tel. 63-2-528-6300. The Consular American Citizen Services (ACS) section's fax number is 63-2-522-3242 and the ACS web page is at http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/rp1/wwwhmain.html.
Americans can obtain information on travel and security in the Philippines from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States; or 202-501-4444 abroad.
For information on general crime and security issues, U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet for the Philippines and the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, located at http://travel.state.gov/ to obtain updated information on travel and security within the Philippines.

[Jim]

The only people who even entertain that possibility that the US state department is objective and reliable source of travel information live in the US.

There is some Muslim extremism is remote areas but they are fighting for control of their isolated regions or trying to destabilize the government. I have made seven trips, visited five islands, rented a car twice and have never been concerned about my safety for one second. The Philippines is far safer than South Phoenix so I don't let it worry me.

There are people who feel Colombia is too dangerous to travel safely and they would probably place the Philippines in the same category.

[Rayzah]

Well i've always had a hard time getting permission to travel there whenever i went there on leave a few times, and that was in 2003.

you are right when you say that the threat is in isolated areas, and tourist aren't really threatened, but try telling the military that.

It's come to a point where not they're not even letting filipinos go back home to see their families without going through a lot of B.S.

I went to subic bay last year, they only let us go out in a circle, about a one mile radius from the old base, and we had to be back on base by nightfall. The locals didn't understand why, neither do I

To the american that never travels, i can imagine what they think is going on here. Didn't seem that bad to me when i visited cebu, alone, in november 2005. I heard about kidnappings going on but i talked to some retired military, nothing to worry about.

More people should go and see for themselves

[Jim]

I went to Subic and had no restrictions. I have been there twice and that is where I was fixed up with my present GF.

You're right that the majority of US citizens don't have the interest or the money to travel. The members of this board are in the 10%-15% who aren't afraid to travel.

I just got back from Amsterdam (on no one's unsafe list). The only upsetting thing was the prices which make Colombia and The Philippines seem like much better destinations.

I think the amount someone worries and the extent to which it influences his/her life is much more dependent on the person than on the actual danger of the situation. I worry about very little and I'm not dead yet. That could change at any time however.