“It is time to put to the fore the ethereal Mindanao beauty that has sometimes been relegated to the backburner, to highlight to the world its spectacular views, its wonderful and amazing culture as well as the warmth and love of the people of Mindanao. Time has come to fully promote your sites, your heritage, your culture, your people, and to reintroduce this region to the world,” said Frasco.
“As we all know, Mindanao has a long history of being associated with violence, danger, and chaos. Terrorism has sought its ugly head and armed conflicts, not to mention the prevalence of crime, had sullied this promising area’s reputation, but that is no longer the case,” said Galvez. Galvez said that the DND would continue to serve its mandate to protect the country, emphasizing the importance of tourists’ safety and the overall security of tourism across the country.For his part, DILG Secretary Abalos emphasized the role of tourist police and local government units in making the region a safe destination.
He also called on LGUs to engage civic and non-government organizations in formulating local tourism plans and tourism developmental projects.The said memorandum sets a framework for developing rural and insurgency-free communities and areas with tourism potential in the region and other identified areas through implementing community-based tourism programs.