CAGAYAN de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Saturday urged Canada to reconsider its travel advisory asking its nationals to avoid “all travel” in four regions and “non-essential travel” in two other areas in Mindanao.
“We are appealing to the Canadian government, specially my good friend Ambassador David Hartman to reassess the peace and order and security situation in Mindanao and to rethink its travel advisory that affects the entire island,” Rodriguez said.
He said Mindanao is generally peaceful and many areas are economically progressive.
Canada imposed its new travel advisory due to the bombing at the Mindanao State University (MSU) last December 3. The blast killed four people.
Canada advised its citizens to avoid all travel in Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and non-essential visits to Caraga and Davao Region.
Rodriguez said the MSU bombing is an isolated incident and the authorities have already apprehended the suspects.
“As Canadian officials must have noticed, we have not had any serious cases of bombing or violence in Mindanao in recent years, even in areas that are traditionally known for armed conflict. So it’s not fair for any foreign government to impose a shotgun travel advisory on our island,” he said.
He said his home city, Cagayan de Oro, the province of Misamis Oriental, “and the rest of Northern Mindanao are very peaceful, and so are most of the regions affected by the travel advisory, which include Davao City and Zamboanga City.”
The Mindanao lawmaker urged concerned security and foreign affairs officials to meet with representatives of the Canadian government to explain the situation in Mindanao.
“The problem with a travel advisory is that all foreigners, foreign tourists and foreign investors, including non-nationals of the issuing foreign government, take note of it and take it seriously,” he said.
He said statements such as the one given by Canada to its nationals impede economic growth in the affected areas.
“They are counterproductive. If we don’t have economic activities and development, the more problems we will have on peace and order,” Rodriguez stressed.