AN OFFICIAL from the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) said on Wednesday that Mindanao remains “safe and secure” amid the travel advisory issued by the Australian government.
The Australian Embassy on May 12, 2026, advised its nationals to “reconsider your need to travel to eastern Mindanao (excluding Camiguin, Dinagat, and Siargao Islands) and do not travel to other areas of Mindanao,” citing threats of terrorism and kidnapping activities.
During the Habi at Kape Media Forum on May 13, Asec Romeo Montenegro, MinDA deputy executive director, said peace in Mindanao is no longer an aspiration, but a reality.
“Compared to where we were 20 years ago, it’s an entirely different Mindanao that we are really having today, especially in the Bangsamoro region,” he said.
Montenegro added the security sector to safeguard progress and ensure the region’s development continues to flourish.
He cited a 2025 economic study that five in six regions in Mindanao posted a growth rate of GRDP much higher than the national average.
“This is definitely an indication that Mindanao is on the path today to transform a region once associated with conflict, now turning into a hub for energy, for agribusiness as well as for logistics,” he stressed.
Montenegro said that while they respect the caution of foreign embassies, the agency urges the embassies to issue advisories that truly reflect the actual situation on the ground.
According to MinDA’s latest Mindanao Safety Perception survey, the island posted an overall safety rating of 88.51% in 2025, a significant increase from 89.69% in 2024, higher than the 88% recorded in 2023.
Montenegro recognized that embassies have their own way of obtaining information, but based on the agency’s interaction with the security sector, there have been no major threats in the region.
Dr. Maria Lourdes Monteverde, Vice President for ICT and Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed that negative travel advisories cascade to trade and commerce and to the tourism numbers.
“We do know that if there is a travel advisory, there will be limited activities for persons in travel, and of course coverage for insurance, etc,” she said.
Monteverde re-echoed Montenegro’s call for a re-evaluation if the advisory reflects the real situation.
“We see this not as a deterrent but something we need to work on and prove that it is the other way around,” the official stressed.
