‘Mindanao is safe’: Officials push back vs Australia travel warning

DAVAO CITY  (May 14) — Mindanao officials moved quickly to calm fears after the Australian government warned its citizens against travel to several parts of the island, insisting that most of Mindanao remains peaceful, secure, and open for tourism and investment.

Security officials said there are no monitored active terror threats in the Davao Region and much of Eastern Mindanao, even as Australia issued a travel advisory citing possible terrorism and kidnapping risks.

The advisory, released by the Australian Embassy on May 12, urged nationals to “reconsider your need to travel to eastern Mindanao” and avoid other areas of the island.

But officials from the Police Regional Office-Davao Region, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and the military said the situation on the ground tells a different story.

“We have no active threats in the region, and so far our jurisdiction is peaceful,” PRO-Davao spokesperson Catherine Dela Rey said, adding that police visibility, checkpoints, and intelligence monitoring have been intensified following the advisory.

‘Not a terror hotspot’

At the Habi at Kape Media Forum on May 13, MinDA Deputy Executive Director Romeo Montenegro acknowledged that foreign governments have their own intelligence systems and security assessments.

Still, he stressed that Mindanao has made major gains in peace and stability over the years.

“We respect them having their assessment of the situation on the ground,” Montenegro said, referring to Australia’s advisory.

But MinDA officials also pushed back against long-standing perceptions branding the island as dangerous.

Earlier, MinDA chair Leo Tereso Magno stressed: “Mindanao is not a terror hotspot.”

Safety ratings rise across Mindanao

Officials pointed to MinDA’s latest Mindanao Safety Rating survey, which showed public confidence in the island’s safety continuing to improve.

The 2024 survey posted an overall safety rating of 89.69 percent, higher than the previous year’s 88 percent.

Several areas once associated with armed conflict scored surprisingly high ratings:

• Basilan – 95%
• Lanao del Sur – 95%
• Cotabato City – 90%
• Iligan City – 98%
• Camiguin – 97%
• Cagayan de Oro City – 95%
• Davao Oriental – 95%

Officials said the improving perception reflects growing tourism, infrastructure development, and stronger peace and order conditions across the island.

Threats remain in isolated areas

Authorities admitted that isolated extremist and insurgency-related incidents still happen in remote conflict-prone communities.

Among the latest incidents was the March ambush in Shariff Aguak that killed five police officers in an attack linked to suspected members of the Dawlah Islamiyah.

Government troops also recently killed alleged New People’s Army commander Edilberto Daval during an operation in Marihatag.

Even so, officials maintained that these incidents are localized and do not reflect the broader situation across major cities and tourism hubs.

Authorities said economic activity, tourism programs, and infrastructure projects continue to expand across Mindanao as peace initiatives gain ground and public confidence rises.