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Originally Posted by Meta Ridley
Yeah the Phillippines sounds like a wonderful place to go
Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
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This information is current as of today, Mon Apr 04 13:33:25 2005.
PHILIPPINES
March 23, 2005
This Travel Warning is being issued to recommend that Americans consider carefully the risks of travel to the Philippines. Terrorist groups, including Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf Group, and radical elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are planning multiple attacks throughout the Philippines. This information has been also released by Philippine government officials and is in the Philippine media.
The Department urges Americans who choose to travel to the Philippines to observe vigilant personal security precautions; to remain aware of the continued potential for terrorist attacks against Americans, U.S. or other Western interests in the Philippines, and to register with the U.S. Embassy. The Department warns against all but essential travel throughout the country in light of a heightened threat to Westerners. There has recently been an increase in bombings by the terrorist groups in Manila, the region of Mindanao, and other areas where terrorist groups are active. Bombs have exploded in shopping malls, on public transportation, at airports and port facilities, in places of worship, and in other public areas resulting in numerous casualties, including several deaths. Bombs have also been found at places of worship. Travelers should be aware that since security has increased at official U.S. facilities, terrorists could seek softer targets. Such targets could include but are not limited to places where Americans and other Westerners live, congregate, shop or visit, including hotels, clubs, restaurants, shopping centers, identifiably Western businesses, housing compounds, transportation systems, places of worship, schools, or public recreation events.
Americans who remain in the Philippines are strongly encouraged 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. 632-528-6300. The Consular American Citizen Services (ACS) section's fax number is 632-522-3242 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 from overseas.
US citizens should also consult the recent Public Announcement for the Philippines, 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.
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nothing to worry about that bro.. read below:
Safe in the Philippines? : Update Wed., Feb 23, 2005.
Statement from United States Ambassador to Manila Francis Ricciardone, The man who knows with the responsibility of the safety of every US Citizen here in the Philippines
Recent Safety Information, posted by Livinginthephilippines3 Member
Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:40 am
Although those with many years of experience often assure first- timers that travel to and in the Philippines is not dangerous, the US State Department continually re-issues years-old advisories that make the Philippines seem only slightly less dangerous than Iraq. Interesting new report here as to what the US Ambassador to the Philippines, Francis Ricciardone said in the Manila Bulletin yesterday:
"(Ricciardone) brushed aside the perceived terrorist threats in the Philippines after the simultaneous terrorist bombings in three cities in the Philippines last week.
Instead, Ricciardone has urged his father, Francis Sr., to take a tour of the Philippines, and even invited the Filipino public for a tour of the US Embassy along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.
"We don't worry about (the security of American forces or of the Americans visiting this country). We advise Americans it's a fine place to visit, we take (Philippine National Police chief) Director General Edgar Aglipay's words to Filipinos as applying to us ? know
what you're doing, know where you go, pay attention ? and it's a fine place to be if you do that" (full story here)
http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN2005022329293.html
It was interesting to learn a month or so ago that more than 75% of the US citizen embassy staff has applied to extend their overseas tours in Manila .. guess they aren't so concerned about the danger either.