Palace happy over travel advisory amendments

Malacañang voiced elation Saturday after Australia and France amended their Philippine travel advisories by removing references to an "imminent terrorist attack." Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said this is a “significant" development for the Philippines, which is trying to attract tourists and investors. “We are very happy it has happened. It shows us our efforts to have the advisories revised are bearing fruit," she said on government-run dzRB radio. Australia and France were among the six countries that warned of possible terrorist attacks on the Philippines after a failed attack on the United States in late October. Other countries that issued similar advisories were the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada. President Benigno Aquino III questioned the basis of the travel warnings, even as the Department of Foreign Affairs sent notes verbale to the six countries that issued the advisories. While Valte acknowledged the revised advisories still noted the possibility of a terrorist attack on the Philippines, she said they took out the part implying a supposed "imminent terror attack" on Metro Manila. “We had issues with the data they used as basis of their advisories," she said. — LBG, GMANews.TV