GOVT HOPES HONG KONG WILL LIFT UPDATED BLACK TRAVEL ALERT ON PHL
MANILA, DECEMBER 20, 2010 (STAR) By Delon Porcalla – The government is hoping that Hong Kong will eventually lift its black travel alert on the Philippines, amid efforts by the Aquino administration to rebuild diplomatic ties with the special administrative region.
Hong Kong imposed its highest travel alert on the Philippines hours after the hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila last Aug. 23 left eight Hong Kong tourists and the hostage taker dead.
The Philippine government recently sent Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim to Hong Kong on a goodwill mission to discuss the measures being undertaken by the Aquino administration.
Lim also updated Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang on the administrative and criminal charges filed against police officers and local government officials identified as liable in the failed police rescue operation in the report of the incident investigation and review committee, and on the institutional reforms being studied by the IIRC for its second report.
Lim also assured Tsang that the Philippines would cooperate with the Coroner's Court proceedings in February, in accordance with established practices on mutual legal assistance.
Lim said the details of the so-called "token of solidarity" to survivors of the hostage shooting are being worked out.
Malacañang announced that a non-government organization is willing to help the Philippine government extend financial assistance to the survivors of the hostage taking.
Undersecretary Abigail Valte said an alternative to financial compensation for the victims is health insurance.
The Philippine government is now working on providing better protection for tourists.
The Department of Tourism and the Philippine National Police recently launched the National Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection program, which provides for the formation of units within the PNP to ensure the safety of tourists in major travel destinations in the country.
Philippines 'surprised' by updated Hong Kong travel warning
[PHOTO - AFP/File – Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team perform a training … .
MANILA (AFP) – The Philippines expressed surprise on Monday after Hong Kong mentioned the threat of terrorist attacks in an update to a travel advisory urging its residents against visiting the country.
Hong Kong has a "black" advisory in force, despite other countries lowering the severity of similar warnings issued last month over the fear of terror attacks in the Philippines, foreign ministry spokesman Eduardo Malaya said.
"We find it surprising that this updating of Hong Kong's black travel advisory comes at a time when a number of Manila-based foreign embassies have lowered their travel alerts," Malaya said in a statement.
Hong Kong issued a black travel advisory for the Philippines in August after eight of its tourists were killed by a disgraced Filipino policeman who took them hostage on a bus in Manila.
The Hong Kong security bureau's advisory discourages all travel to the Philippines, which is entering its traditional peak December to February tourism season, when many Hong Kong tourists usually visit.
And the updated advisory said: "Some overseas administrations had noted the risk on possible terrorist attacks, including places frequented by foreigners, such as large shopping malls and convention centres."
It is similar to advisories issued by several Western countries in November that warned of possible terror threats in Manila.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino strongly criticised the November advisories, saying they were not based on firm intelligence.
The Hong Kong security bureau said in a statement that the new details were intended to give more information to travellers.
The Philippine foreign ministry said its Hong Kong consulate had been told that the new details were merely a "technical upgrade and not an upgrade of content".
The Philippines has sought to placate Hong Kong after the hostage drama, carrying out an investigation of the bus hijacking and creating special tourist police to guard areas visited by foreign travellers.
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