OSLOB, Cebu – The Department of Tourism (DoT) in Central Visayas maintains that Cebu remains a haven for tourists despite cancelled bookings as a result of a recent kidnapping scare.
DoT-7 officer-in-charge Judy Gabato said tourism in Southern Cebu is apparently unaffected amid threats and unverified reports circulating online.
“Tourists continue to enjoy the beauty of Cebu Island especially the three municipalities (Dalaguete, Oslob and Sumilon Island),” Gabato said.
Despite the assurance, however, resort owners in the Southern towns of Argao and Dalaguete revealed six bookings have been cancelled by their guests because of the travel advisory issued by the US Embassy.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 director Chief Supt. Noli Taliño insisted that there is no security threat in the whole province of Cebu, despite being informed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that there will be a team from the AFP arriving in Cebu to augment the security in the province.
Meanwhile, the Cebu Provincial Board has urged local government units in Cebu to tighten their security measures.
“Urging all LGUs, cities, towns and barangays, to conduct verification and possible assessment of questionable personalities within their respective territorial jurisdictions for security purposes in view of the security advisory issued by the Embassy of the United States of America,” read the PB resolution. (Mars W. Mosqueda, Jr.)
