
Following the Forbes Advisor report that ranked Manila as the fifth “riskiest city for tourists,” with the “highest natural disaster risk, the fifth highest personal security risk, and the seventh highest health security risk,” the Department of Tourism has assured the public that it is working closely with the Philippine National Police and Department of the Interior and Local Government to ensure a “safe and welcoming environment for all travelers” in the city and elsewhere in the country.
Caracas in Venezuela was first in the list, followed by Karachi in Pakistan, Yangon in Myanmar, and Lagos in Nigeria.
Forbes Advisor said it compared 60 international cities across seven key metrics – travel safety, crime risk, personal security risk, health security risk, infrastructure security risk, natural disaster risk, and digital security risk – to determine the riskiest and safest cities for travelers.
The PNP, through its spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, has of course questioned the report, saying they want to know the methodology used for its survey.
In a statement, the DOT highlighted the establishment in October 2023 of the Tourist Assistance Call Center, which is accessible around the clock to accept “all tourist related concerns.” It has also tapped the police to address the immediate needs of travelers through the Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection or TOPCOP, and come up with its own disaster risk reduction and management operations manual, as well as the Tourism Integrates, Support, and Minds Women’s Respect and Child Safety program that looks after the welfare of women and children in the tourism industry. The agency is also working on the establishment of tourist first aid facilities in select tourist destinations.
When it comes to tourism, perception is everything, which makes being perceived as unsafe a gross disadvantage. An effective advertising and promotion campaign may help, along with well-meaning programs with cute acronyms, but it is ultimately the situation on the ground that matters most. The DOT, PNP, DILG, and local government units will need to work together more closely if we are going to change the impression that the country is unsafe for tourists, in a consistent, sustainable, and proactive manner, and not just reacting every time an “isolated incident” affects the country’s visitors.
It’s not going to happen overnight, or even in one year, but if the government officials and agencies stay committed and determined, it is certainly an issue that is fixable.*