Bohol govt., tourism council declare Bohol as “totally safe to visit”

Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto and Provincial Tourism Council chairman Lawyer Lucas Nuñag released an advisory on Thursday morning declaring Bohol as “totally safe to visit.”

The advisory wrote, “This is to inform the General Public that the province of Bohol especially the tourism zones remains to be very peaceful and free from threats coming from the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) whose attempt to mount terroristic activities were all aborted by the military and the police with the full cooperation of the various LGU’s.”

The officials assured the visiting public that the area, where the recent encounters between government troops and members of ASG, are far from Bohol’s “tourism zone.”

“It is our boundary to properly inform you that the area where the ASG attempted to operate (Inabanga) is very far from the “tourism zone” like the beach resorts of Panglao as well as the popular destinations in the Bohol Countryside Tour like the Chocolate Hills in Carmen and Loboc River Cruise.”

They said Inabanga is also far from the Tagbilaran City Airport and Tagbilaran City Wharf.

Inabanga and Clarin, where the encounters took place, are 79 kilometers from Panglao beach resorts and 45 kilometers from the Chocolate Hills.

Checkpoints are also in place at the entry and exit points of these “tourism zones” to further ensure the safety of the travelling public, the advisory wrote.

The ASG leader, Muamar Askali alyas Abu Rami, bomb expert Abu Sufyan and six others,including their native guide Joselito Melloria were killed during encounters with the military in Inabanga and Clarin.

Supt. Ma. Cristina Nobleza and bomb expert Reneer Lou Dongon were also arrested in a checkpoint last April 22,2017 in Clarin town.

“So today, April 25, 2017, the private stakeholders of the Bohol tourism industry and the Provincial Government of Bohol declare Bohol as a TOTALLY SAFE PLACE TO VISIT at any given time. The traditional warm hospitality of the people in Bohol awaits you!”