EDITORIAL - More trouble in Paradise

Only two months ago, a Slovak tourist was found murdered and apparently sexually assaulted in an abandoned chapel in Boracay. Three residents of the island have been arrested for the killing of Michaela Mickova on the night of March 10. Here’s hoping the three are not just fall guys.

The latest victims of violence in Boracay are a son and nephew of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. The senator’s son Julian Ejercito and nephew Jefferelly Vitug were beaten up as they headed to a mini mall from a bar at around 2 a.m. last Saturday.

The two victims required treatment in a hospital for head and nose injuries. They were set upon by three young men who have been arrested and charged with physical injuries.

Brawls are common around bars, but tighter security against such violence is expected in Boracay, one of the country’s top travel destinations.

Such incidents can only aggravate safety concerns of prospective travelers to the Philippines. The country’s biggest market for inbound visitors, South Korea, is already spooked by a series of crimes targeting Koreans, with the latest an armed robbery in the high-end enclave of Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

With the country’s numerous natural and man-made attractions and friendly people, tourism should be a thriving industry in the Philippines. But personal safety is a top concern for travelers, and security problems have been a major hindrance to tourism particularly in Mindanao.

This month’s updated US travel advisory on the Philippines, for example, tells Americans to “exercise increased caution in the Philippines due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.”

The advisory says Americans must not travel to Sulu and Marawi City, and should “reconsider” travel to other areas of Mindanao “due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.”

In its country summary for the Philippines, the US advisory warns that “violent crimes are also common… such as robbery, kidnappings and physical assaults.”

It adds: “Protests happen in the Philippines and could turn violent and/or result in traffic jams and road closures with limited capacity of the local government to respond.”

The entire Philippines is classified by the US government under Level 2 for travel risks. Compare this with the lower Level 1 risk classification for neighboring countries led by Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand, and the limited risk assessments for Malaysia and Indonesia.

There’s a correlation between tourist arrivals and personal safety concerns. But foreign travelers aren’t the only ones who need protection. Every person in this country needs to be safe from violence and crime.