SEOUL, 17 December 2015 – The Embassy of the Philippines in Korea wishes to reassure the public that there has been no change in the safety status of the areas in the Philippines, including popular tourist attractions, alleged to have been placed on high alert due to terrorism threats.

According to the latest communication this afternoon with Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is no change in Korea’s travel advisory, last modified on November 26, for Korean citizens headed to Boracay, Palawan or other regions in the Philippines. Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul S. Hernandez reassures the public that all Koreans are welcome to visit the Philippines this holiday season and that there is no need for tourists to change their current arrangements to travel to Boracay and Palawan for their yearend vacation. In accordance with the measures that the Government of the Republic of Korea has decided to take in October 2015, the Philippine government is cooperating fully with Korean authorities to ensure the safety of Korea residents and tourists in the Philippines. Philippine security forces remain vigilant and alert to protect tourists and travelers during holiday season. The Embassy further notes that several top Philippine tourism destinations, including Boracay and Manila, successfully hosted without incident throughout this year a number of high-level Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, including last month’s summit attended by Korea’s President Park Geun-hye, U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, among others. –END–