Mindanao Dev’t Forum to tackle travel advisory, peace and order

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair Maria Belen S. Acosta said on Wednesday that travel advisory and the peace and order situation in Mindanao are among the topics to be discussed in the 2nd Mindanao Development Forum 2023, which is scheduled on May 18, 2023 at Acacia Hotel Davao.

Mindanao is among those regions in the Philippines issued with travel advisories alerting would-be visitors to terrorism threats. The advisory affects Davao City as part of Mindanao.

“This is one of the objectives why we are having the Mindanao Development Forum to tackle the issue of peace and order, return of investments of the investors, and the travel advisory. Because as we go around I traveled to Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the BIMP-Eaga area, the question will always be is it safe to go to Mindanao? Can I get my return on investment?” Sec. Acosta said during Wednesdays media forum at Habi at Kape in Abreeza Mall.

Acosta said development agencies will be divided into small group discussions about their areas, and there will be sessions with the ambassadors who committed to attend.

“In that session with the ambassadors, we will be presenting the real situation of Mindanao. We will be inviting the top brass of the military and the police so that they can personally share what is the real situation of Davao City. Yung ambassadors na pupunta bukas sila itong mga open-minded because they took the challenge of coming over and see for themselves what Mindanao is like today,” she said.

Through the sessions, MinDA can explain to the ambassadors and the representatives of the international communities that

FMINDANAO , P6