MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Wednesday assured that the country remains safe for tourists, especially after the alleged abduction of a Chinese woman in the central business district of Makati City.
“Very much,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum in Manila when asked if the country is still safe for tourists even as police reported the alleged abduction of 28-year-old Zhou Mei by three “Chinese-looking” men on Monday night.
“Hindi naman kasi nila nakikita, kunwari may nangyayari dito, akala nila buong Pilipinas na ‘yun (They don’t see everything, [but they think that] If something happens here, it happened in the entire Philippines),” she said.
She said the DOT is closely coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to ensure the safety of tourists.
“I am very confident when it comes to the DILG and the PNP that they will handle it. Police matters are with them and we always assure that our tourist cops especially in our tourist destinations na hindi ito mangyayari (that this [abduction] will not happen),” she said.
Puyat added that tourist cops are also “very visible” in tourist destinations and that the DOT will not promote a tourist spot that is not secured.
“We will not promote a destination na hindi safe (that is not safe). If it’s safe, that’s what we will promote,” she said.