Pelaez slams capitol travel advisory, calls it ‘damaging’

By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
Correspondent
 
MISAMIS Oriental Vice Gov. Jose Mari Pelaez yesterday slammed a capitol advisory against travel to some parts of the province due to renewed clashes between government troops and the New People’s Army (NPA) even as he called the notice damaging.

The advisory, released by the Provincial Information Office, was cleared and approved by Misamis  Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano.

Pelaez called out the Provincial Information Office, the Philippine Information Agency, the police and military, and made them shed light on the capitol advisory.

Pelaez said capitol advisory was a blow to Misamis Oriental and its tourism sector, citing that the story it was picked up and reported by Manila-based media organizations.

He said to promote tourism is a very expensive undertaking.

Pelaez said there was no need to make a public announcement about it, arguing that there were other ways to handle the situation. He said the capitol could have just communicated with the local governments.

Nicole Managbanag, the capitol’s new information officer, said she was merely following Emano’s orders. She said the order to release the advisory came from Emano himself.

Yesterday, Emano stood his ground, asserting that it would be risky to allow tourists to go to certain areas in Misamis Oriental because of the armed clashes. He maintained that the capitol’s advisory was not misleading.

“Ang bala dili mamili kung kinsay maigo,” Emano said.

Emano said he decided to take the risk and for that he apologizes to tourists who had planned to go to dangerous areas in Claveria and Gingoog City.

“It’s better to be safe than be sorry,” he said.

Emano said he also realized advisory’s impact on the province’s tourism industry.

He said the capitol would only allow tourism activities to continue in the specified areas once authorities declare these places safe.

Before the provincial board 403rd Brigade deputy commander Col.Gabriel Viray said the armed clashes in the province in recent weeks were “isolated cases,” and he was saddened by the capitol advisory.

Viray said it’s even safe to travel to and go mountain climbing  in Mt. Balatukan, Mt.Lumot and Mt.Sumagaya, areas in Claveria and Gingoog that were mentioned in Emano’s advisory.

Senior Supt. Sukarno Alvarez, police director for Misamis Oriental, said the capitol advisory also caught him by surprise, saying that it’s still relatively safe to travel in Misamis Oriental. He said that if there is anyone who knows if it’s safe to travel or not, it’s the police.