New risk level ?

[Altamira]

Apparently the U.S. and UK embassies are advising against travel to those parts of the Philippines like Bohol and Central Visayas that have had recent problems with Abu Sayyaf. Anybody planning trips there should definitely check their embassy threat advisories. There are too many great places to dive without having to worry about being kidnapped and/or beheaded. Just my opinion.

 

[tiki_bill]

I just left Mactan Island. There was a reported sighting of two armed men on Olango Island yesterday. The rumor here is that the Abu Sayyaf has made their way to Cebu due to the ongoing military pressure in their home base (Jolo). Yes, there's elevated police and military presence but keep in mind that it's very easy for these scumbags to cause major problems for you. As of right now they haven't caught the rest of the guys in Bohol and are currently holding 5 or six suspicious men from a checkpoint not too far from Oslob. The two armed men on Olango have not been found either. Goes to show that they can evade the authorities. Travel at your own risk coming here.

 

[Land Fish]

This is definitely a change from past habits, and is natural to make some more concerned. I don't think I'd change plans if now or close, but I'd certainly look at going further north if I was just now choosing where to go.

Abu Sayyaf operates though seemingly in cells or areas of influence by the separate leaders, so hopefully with this group's leader being killed in the fight, the other groups will stick to the old areas. I would be reassured a bit by security improvements, and also keep yourself aware when out and about, especially at night.

Agreed on parts. ASG has got bold and they are unlikely to stop after losing one leader. Commercial emergency response firms are bracing themselves for more.

The latest clash occurred on Tuesday last week and I was scheduled to fly to Cebu on Friday. So I spoke with colleagues and their contacts who are in security business in Philippines. Long story short, for people who couldn't change/amend their travel plans at such short notice, it's OK to go but they need to be vigilant and exercise caution while they're there. For long term planning, their view is that people would be better off looking elsewhere.

I went ahead with my plan. Moalboal was OK but we didn't go out party or anything like that. Night dives were cancelled two nights while we were there, citing coast guards sweeping the area.

 

[peeweediver]

Knowing that Scubaboard can occasionally get heated when livelihoods are involved and when issues of overall safety for dive trips are discussed, I do have a favor to ask. Our LDS trip to Bohol is quite a ways off and we can watch developments before making a final decision. Honest postings of current activities would be very helpful. Trusting military or government proclamations doesn't make much sense. We definitely want to continue to support the Philippines' tourism industry and the great folks there serving the diving community. However, there is a line......
Thanks to those who have posted "just the facts". That's all we can ask for.

Rob

 

[LarryOne]

I dove Moalboal and Malipascqua last summer (which by the way was fantastic) and this year i was planning to go to Bohol (Pangaloa, Apo, Balisaq specifically) then the news about these scumbags came through. I might reconsider my plans as this is not a pleasant thing to have to worry about while on vacation, really sucks. I guess wreck diving in Subic will have to do.

 

[Land Fish]

Knowing that Scubaboard can occasionally get heated when livelihoods are involved and when issues of overall safety for dive trips are discussed, I do have a favor to ask. Our LDS trip to Bohol is quite a ways off and we can watch developments before making a final decision. Honest postings of current activities would be very helpful. Trusting military or government proclamations doesn't make much sense. We definitely want to continue to support the Philippines' tourism industry and the great folks there serving the diving community. However, there is a line......
Thanks to those who have posted "just the facts". That's all we can ask for.

Rob

Rob, I understand the frustration. I too want to support the local tourism business and would much prefer locals not having to fall back on fishing for a living.

At the same time, I also wanted to share what I know and what I saw. People here have generously shared their tips and experiences when I had questions. This is my way of giving back / contributing to the community. Like I mentioned, what I know is from a commercial prospective, and by all means take it with a grain of salt.

 

[peeweediver]

Land Fish:
Thanks for your information. I forwarded your previous post to the other two folks who help plan our LDS trips. We are torn between changing destinations and holding tight to see what happens next. Our trip is a year away as we need to do that to accommodate the size of the group. Anything can happen in a year, so it's worth waiting and consistently monitoring the situation. Next question we face; when to advise the group and get feedback? Soon, I think. Just feel bad on numerous fronts....mostly that the world has taken this turn.

Rob

 

[CarcharodonCarcharias]

Hmm...going to Malapascua in May. Will this be an issue? Should I just suck it up, eat the cost and cancel the trip?

 

[MV Dive]

I find it amazing when people from the States are worried about a couple of terrorists running around. Look at the number of mass killings that have happened over the past few years. Something like 3500 murders in Chicago alone in one year The Philippine government will take care of these small pockets of extremists. I would say that you are a hell of a lot safer diving on a small island in the Philippines than walking the streets of some of the cities in the US. This is from someone living in the Philippines and does 4-5 trips to the States per year.

 

[Marie13]

I find it amazing when people from the States are worried about a couple of terrorists running around. Look at the number of mass killings that have happened over the past few years. Something like 3500 murders in Chicago alone in one year The Philippine government will take care of these small pockets of extremists. I would say that you are a hell of a lot safer diving on a small island in the Philippines than walking the streets of some of the cities in the US. This is from someone living in the Philippines and does 4-5 trips to the States per year.

Not 3500 murders in Chicago. Shootings maybe, but the gang bangers' aim is generally lacking and the murder rate was a bit under 800 last year.

Chicago's murders/shootings are by and large on the south and west sides in the ghetto. Crime is spreading to others areas of the city but it's usually not that violent. That being said, I rarely go into Chicago due to the high cost of things and taxes.