Zambo mayor: U.S. travel advisory ‘very unfortunate and unfair’

From the Philippine News Agency (May 30): Zambo mayor: U.S. travel advisory ‘very unfortunate and unfair’
  
Mayor Celso Lobregat on Thursday described as “very unfortunate and unfair” the latest travel advisory issued by the United States Embassy against Zamboanga City, saying that no less than U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. was in the city Wednesday and nothing untoward happened.

“The U.S. Embassy was asking its nationals to re-evaluate their travel plans to Zamboanga and I am also asking the U.S. Embassy to re-evaluate its travel advisory,” Lobregat said, adding that when Ambassador Thomas was in this city Wednesday there was no mention about any travel advisory.

“Of course, any travel advisory from anywhere in the world will always have an effect,” Lobregat said when asked whether the latest U.S. travel advisory would affect this city’s tourism programs.

Thomas visited this city Wednesday, probably his last prior to his scheduled transfer to another country, to launch three projects of the United State Agency of International Development (USAID) namely; the Enhancing Governance, Accountability and Engagement (ENGAGE) Project, the Mindanao Youth Development (MYDEV) Project, and Mindanao Health Project.

Lobregat was invited to a breakfast with the ambassador together with USAID and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) officials hours before the launching of the three projects.

The mayor also had a chance to speak with Thomas at the project launching at noon after the ambassador had delivered his speech.

“But nothing was mentioned about any threats to the Americans in this city and no less than the ambassador was here on the day the embassy issued its travel advisory. That is very, very unfortunate and unfair,” Lobregat reiterated.

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