Testimonials

The new Philippines is bold and beautiful!

How Safe is Safe here in the PHILIPPINES!

Here are some excerpts:

• Diego Gutieres, first Pilot who went to the Philippinas reports of many strange things...
"If there be any Paradise upon earth, it is that country, and addeth, that sitting under a tree, you shal have such sweet smells, with such great content and pleasure, that you shall remember nothing, neither wife, nor children, nor have any kinds of appetite to eat or drink."---Henry Hawks (1572), Navigations of English Nations

• "It would be a shame if people regarded the Philippines as totally off-limits just because there are parts that are not safe," says Paul Wilkinson. (Paul Wilkinson is the Director of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence in St. Andrews, Scotland)---excerpt from Conde Nast Traveler, MAY 2001.

• "It may be a hundred years even a thousand before parts of Mindanao, Philippines are considered safe by the US State Department. Should that distract you from visiting the vibrant and safe destinations of the islands? The bottomline is: If one looks at the map of the Philippines, it should be easily grasped by the mind that life in the 7000 islands of the world's second largest archipelago goes on as usual with so much optimism and faith that life is a celebration of the triumphs despite the obstacles and uncertainties because the Filipinos believe in overcoming."

• "The American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, French and British governments' travel advisories to the Philippines are grossly flawed in that they generalize the peace and order situation in a number of islands to the entire archipelago. Moreover, the source of information for these governments' respective departments should be credible and reliable. My challenge for governments is to be truthful, accurate, fair, balanced and pure in your motivation. It is understandably a government's obligation to protect its citizens from threats and dangers. It is a noble task to carry out this obligation and must be responsibly executed including the issuance of truthful and specific advisories that take into consideration the effects of sweeping statements and subjective, blown out of proportion situations. Tourism is gonna triumph over terrorism if we remain vigilant and faithful."

• "Many destinations that look dangerous on CNN (which rarely shows peaceful Jerusalem neighborhoods or excellent dive sites in the Philippines) are highly rewarding."
---excerpt from Hot Spots,Conde Nast Traveler, MAY 2001

• "A John Q. Citizen tourist is going to have to decide whether the State Department means "Don't go to the Philippines" or "just don't go to certain areas or cities in the Philippines." Often, you can travel to one of these countries as long as you only go to safe cities and avoid traveling when you know there are going to be demonstrations." according to Armando Lara, Director of Operations for North America, Control Risks Group, LLC.---excerpt from Conde Nast Traveler, MAY 2001.

• One does not have to be a geography major to realize that the Philippines is an archipelago made of about 7100 islands and therefore a peace and order issue in one location may not necessarily apply to the rest of the 7000 islands that dot this diverse nation. To hastily conclude otherwise is a gross error in judgment. After the unfortunate events of Sept. 11, 2001, the world's perspective of peace, order, safety and security has never been the same. Let us not live in fear. Let us be vigilant. Our world is going to triumph against poverty, terrorism and evil whether in the hinterlands of Mindanao or the magnificent monuments of New York if we take the risks to defend the freedom we enjoy so we can be free to enjoy our God given world.

• "A little off the fashionable South-East Asia route, the Philippines are the forgotten islands of the region. But you won't forget this place if you do make the effort to visit. The people are friendly, accommodation is easy to find and there's an incredible 7000 islands to hop between."

The transport options are as varied and colourful as you'll find anywhere in Asia:Flights are cheap and buses, outrigger boats and those glorious home-grown jeepneys go just about everywhere. The Spanish left behind a legacy of colourful fiestas and there's a lively festival happening somewhere just about every day of the year".---excerpt from Lonely Planet, October 2001, 11th Edition.

• "The Philippines may not have world-class museums or a monumental ruin at every turn, but the nation's three island groupings-Luzon (the largest), the Visayas, and Mindanao- have twice the coastline of the continental United States and offer diverse attractions. The indigenous tribes-from the Ifugao in northern Luzon to the T'boli in Mindanao-offer glimpses of ancient traditions. The outstanding beauty of the land, the many picturesque towns and villages, the abundance of uncrowded islands and beaches, the excellent dining, and the hospitality and gaeity of the people offer rewards all their own."---excerpt from Pleasures and Pastimes, Fodor's New Edition, October 2001, 23rd Edition.

• "I’ve been to Laoag to shoot Born on the Fourth of July and I love(d) that place. I enjoyed my stay in the Philippines." He later said during the same press conference, "I’d like to go back to the Philippines, if not to do another movie, maybe to have a vacation." -Tom Cruise before responding to Manila Bulletin's Cris' and another Manila journalist's questions about "Vanilla Sky," Dec 2001

• "I love the people and I grew up with many Filipinos. It is a beautiful country. I remember growing up with people around my house sometimes talking in Tagalog and we used to cook traditional Filipino food...I see Filipino fans everywhere I go. And it's always a pleasure to run into them because it reminds me where I came from," says Latin pop star Enrique Iglesias.---excerpt from FILIPINAS magazine, Nov 2001

• Coconut and palm trees rooted like a backbone along white sand beaches, bowing to the warm clear blue waters. Rusted corrugated roofs piled on top of each other like a lopsided deck of cards. The entire spectrum of color swirling around you underwater as fish of all sizes and patterns come to investigate your oxygen bubbles. The huge gray mass of a caribou--rope tied through its flaring nostrils--parting thick brush as its young guide surfs its back through rice terraces. And a kaleidoscope of smiles from everyone, everywhere. The archipelago of 7,107 islands and islets that makes up the Philippines will impress all your senses with its diversity and beauty. Its relaxed nature, colorful personality, friendly people, and inexhaustible activities are like dessert for the spirit. And the fact that there are so many islands means you'll find endless stretches of pristine beach to wrap yourself in secluded paradise whenever you please.---excerpt from Frommer's 2003 Guide

• No doubt, the Philippines is a tourist must-see. Nature has endowed it with the best sanctuaries, from flora to fauna, to offer discriminating tourists. Indonesia's Bali pales in comparison with the Philippines' Boracay beach. Costs to savour the country's tourist come-ons are relatively low compared with those in other Asean countries. The inflation rate remains consistently low, averaging 3 per cent annually.---excerpt from the Business Times-Singapore, Online Edition, October 20, 2003

• "...it is this very lack of mass tourism that makes the Philippines such an appealing destination. If you want to explore, and if you are ready to cope with some eccentric infrastructure and a distinctly laid-back attitude towards the passage of time, the Philippines has more to offer than many of its neighbours."---excerpt from Rough Guides, 2003

• FOCUS ON THE PHILIPPINES-"I love the islands you feature and I wish I could someday live on one. I just wonder why you haven't featured the beautiful islands of the Philippines, especially Boracay and Palawan. I hope you can visit them someday and feauture them in your subsequent issues."-Danny Calub, Saudi Arabia---excerpt from ISLANDS magazine, December 2003

• "I would like to see more in ISLANDS about the Philippines, one of the most beautiful places in the world."---excerpt from Islands Magazine, April 2002 by Andy Johnson, Russellville, Alabama

• "I have been all over the Far East, and the Philippines has the most natural wonders, the people give their hearts to you, its like being in the old pirate country in the Caribbean."---by Oliver Stone (multi-talented award-winning director, excerpt from Moon Handbooks, 2003, 5th Edition

• Mr. A. Henry Savage Landor, noted English traveler-writer, was delighted by the beauties of the Philippines. Landor was one of the many foreigners who visited P.I. and became enchanted with its beautiful scenery and hospitable people. He spoke of the Philippines as "a most enchanting country, a land full of weird surprises, of magnificent scenery and ideal vegetation, with an assortment of delightful people." In conclusion, he said; " I may say that in some eighteen years traveling I have never enjoyed and been interested more than I was in the journey (over 16,000 miles) over these most enchanting islands - really and truly to anyone with an unbiased mind, the "Gems of the East."