Safety of foreign tourists assured – Malacañang

Malacañang on Tuesday sought to downplay the Australian government's recent travel advisory to its citizens against traveling to the Philippines due to possible threats to their safety, saying the police and military were on top of the situation of upholding peace and order in the country.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda assured the safety of Filipinos as well as those of foreign tourists.

"We respect their travel advisory but again we assure the public, we assure the Australian tourists here as well as any tourist of their safety," Lacierda said. 

"We are on top of the situation that is why we did what we did yesterday, and days before the Black Nazarene Fiesta," he added.

Last Sunday, President Benigno S. Aquino III bared the possibility that the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Monday (January 9) would be disrupted by unknown lawless elements.

The President urged those planning to attend this year's procession to exercise maximum vigilance as he ordered security forces in Manila to be put on high alert. (pcoo)