US to review travel advisory procedures — PNoy

The United States vowed to review the procedures it undertakes in issuing travel advisories, following Canada’s promise to review its recent advisory warning its citizens against traveling to the Philippines. President Benigno Aquino III said US President Barack Obama made the promise when they met at the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Yokohama, Japan. “Nabanggit natin kay President Obama iyong ating mga agam-agam sa mga travel advisory na nagmula sa Estados Unidos at ipinangako naman niya na titingnan po at humingi rin po ng pag-unawa doon sa mga nata-target, sa kanilang mga mamamayan," he said, according to a Malacañang statement Sunday night. (We mentioned our misgivings over the US travel advisory to President Obama, and he promised that he will take a look at it and even asked for our understanding over being included in the places that the US believes is targeted by terrorists.) Aquino made this disclosure Sunday in a meeting with 1,000 members of the Filipino community at the Yokohama Futaba High School, in Yokohama, 32km south of Tokyo, where the 21 leaders of the APEC-member countries met last week for a summit. Obama's promise came a day after Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a similar promise to review Canada's procedures in issuing travel advisories. According to the Palace statement, Aquino said Obama “even asked for the kind consideration of the people in countries affected by stern travel advisories." The US, Canada, France, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand had issued travel advisories warning of terrorist attacks on the Philippines, shortly after a failed terrorist attack on the US on Oct. 29. - DM/KBK, GMANews.TV