Talk:Mindanao Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Some westerners even go to the Sulu Island now without any bodyguards. Even there, it is no problem at all.

It is really hurtful to the economy to keep these things alive, just because some countries dont update their informations.

Vloggers and the government of the Philippines really try to counter arguments of website like yours, because NOTHING HAPPENED for a long long time.

Not only because of the military that was quick to answer back then, but also because of successful negotiations.

There is no problem anymore. Stop hurting the economy!!!!!!!!!!

Up to 9 cities may be listed in this article. Right now, only 6 are listed. Which 3 additional cities would be best to include? Ikan Kekek (talk) 06:57, 30 June 2015 (UTC)Reply

I added Surigao. I'm not sure what others might go in. Pashley (talk) 01:13, 3 August 2015 (UTC)Reply

We are now up to 18 cities, which might be more-or-less appropriate for now since many of the regions & provinces are currently red links, but it does need thinking about. I know the region only slightly, am certain Davao, CDO & Zamboanga City belong on the list. I would guess General Santos, Surigao & Dipolog do too, but am not completely sure.

As for the provinces & regions, see Talk:Philippines#Province_or_island_articles; Mindanao is not the only place where there's a problem, but it appears to be the worst example. Pashley (talk) 21:55, 14 October 2016 (UTC)Reply

User:TagaSanPedroAko just deleted a bunch & I agree with those changes, but am not certain the list is right yet. Pashley (talk) 04:56, 14 December 2018 (UTC)Reply

@Pashley: I agree we need to change Mindanao's breadcrumb trail, that I began a new thread below (based on Talk:Visayas#Radical change proposal), which involves replacing ARMM (Bangsamoro since 2019) and SOCCSKSARGEN with Central Mindanao and Sulu Islands. I agree Davao, CDO, and Zamboanga, are certainly important to be listed here, and I propose adding Surigao city as a tourist hub over Butuan. Things are rather unclear for General Santos and Dipolog, and it may take a while to discuss about them.--TagaSanPedroAko (talk) 19:09, 5 February 2019 (UTC)Reply

This needs other opinions. I removed the warning box here, replaced it with an infobox in the Understand section. There is already a warning box with basically the same text I took out here in ARMM, and I added one when I created Sulu Islands.

Are more needed for other provinces or regions? Do some cities need warnings? Iligan, for example, is mostly Muslim. See also Talk:Northern Mindanao. Pashley (talk) 01:23, 3 August 2015 (UTC)Reply

An anon user has inserted a new warning box. I think it is unnecessary. Other opinions? Pashley (talk) 21:12, 7 February 2016 (UTC)Reply

Maybe a warning is necessary. Some tourists were kidnapped near Davao, Sept. 2015. [1] Pashley (talk) 17:20, 22 February 2016 (UTC)Reply

There is now a warning box again, which seems like a good idea since the whole region is now under martial law. Pashley (talk) 15:21, 28 July 2017 (UTC)Reply

Regarding the conflict in Marawi which has been going on these past few months, should warning boxes be included in the articles on Cagayan de Oro and Iligan? Though it might be a bit redundant since there's already a warning box in this article.

Airborne90 (talk) 02:47, 28 July 2017 (UTC)Reply

There is also a safety discussion in both the main text & an infobox at Mindanao#Understand, & warning boxes in Marawi & several region articles: Zamboanga Peninsula, ARMM, Sulu Islands. I think we currently have this about right, but am not certain. I've been to CDO & felt safe enough, but maybe I was just naive.

There are places I wouldn't consider going, like Zamboanga (city), that do not have warning boxes. Also discussion at Talk:Cebu_Province#Travel_warning of whether warnings might be needed outside Mindanao. Pashley (talk) 13:10, 28 July 2017 (UTC)Reply

The US gov't changed their travel warning on July 18. current version Pashley (talk) 13:42, 28 July 2017 (UTC)Reply

@Pashley: I think the warning box on the Mindanao page is reasonably written, especially when compared with ArticCynda's edits, which have been somewhat similar in topic. Selfie City (talk) 14:47, 7 August 2018 (UTC)Reply

Yes, the wording in the warningbox on this page would appear to be plainly factual. Ikan Kekek (talk) 19:22, 7 August 2018 (UTC)Reply

The "How dangerous is Mindanao" infobox mentions specific western gov't warnings, then has:

Most suggest avoiding much of the rest of Mindanao as well, which negatively affected the regional tourism industry (the Philippine government has demanded Western governments to tone down their travel advisories in 2019, so only regions affected by the Islamist insurgency are to be avoided)

I think this is unnecessary. I'd have just:

Most suggest avoiding much of the rest of Mindanao as well. The Philippine government has suggested that Western governments should tone down these advisories.

Even then, I'm not sure the second sentence is necessary. Other opinions? Pashley (talk) 23:52, 29 January 2019 (UTC)Reply

It is necessary. They are hurting the economy of the Philippines. Just look at the fact, when there was the last time that something happened. It is almost ten years now, damn!

All tourists who where there and all vloggers who filmed there, said there are no problems at all anymore.

Of course there isnt - the government came to an agreement with the rebels, there where succesful negotiations and nothing happened since then.

Otherwise it would be only fair to spam the article for New York, that it is dangerous to go there because of terrorist attacks. You all would be outraged, wouldnt you? 2001:9E8:84F8:2400:3C04:257B:733D:FB40 20:17, 5 January 2024 (UTC)Reply

Much less than 10 years. See w:2019 Jolo Cathedral bombings. w:Siege of Marawi was 2017 but martial law continued for several years. Pashley (talk) 22:43, 5 January 2024 (UTC)Reply

We currently divide Mindanao into Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, SOCCSKSARGEN, Davao Region, Caraga and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). They are further divided into provinces, but many are just red links, not listed in the main region page, or are mere stubs. Highly urbanized cities are either grouped in the province or region they are geographically grouped, but where to group Cotabato City is rather fuzzy (it is either in SOCCSKSARGEN administratively de jure but in Maguindanao geographically and administratively de facto, which is rather difficult to decide where to group with for travel purposes).

The existing division is in line with the Philippines' administrative divisions, but it is far not useful for travel. Most of the regions are far useful for this guide, except for BARMM and SOCCSKSARGEN, which must be replaced by Central Mindanao (which includes all of SOCCSKSARGEN, Maguindanao, Cotabato Cityand Lanao del Sur) and Sulu Archipelago in the main hierarchy, and the mentioned regions may remain as extra-hierarchical regions. Any opinions needed. Pinging in User:Pashley, User:Ikan Kekek, and User:Sky Harbor.-TagaSanPedroAko (talk) 18:17, 5 February 2019 (UTC)Reply

I don't know enough to really help with this but would trust your judgment. Ikan Kekek (talk) 19:23, 5 February 2019 (UTC)Reply

@Ikan Kekek: I agree the region needs a slight overhaul, and the issue about Mindanao's regions have been mentioned earlier, but I'm the only one who is eager to fix this. It may just need some time to rewrite the regions and draw a static map. --TagaSanPedroAko (talk) 22:02, 7 February 2019 (UTC)Reply

Given the ongoing transition on the Muslim-majority ARMM, should we need to update the warning box on the top or downgrade it to a caution box? Most governments may still have the advisories since the 2019 Bangsamoro plebiscite and the Jolo church bombings, but it might have been softened a bit as the security situation is improving as rebel militia are surrendering arms.--TagaSanPedroAko (talk) 23:06, 23 March 2019 (UTC)Reply

I know a British fellow who lived in Zamboanga City roughly 2013-2016 & says he had no problems at all, but he was married to a local girl, hung out with the barangay captain, drank with the local not-so-Muslim cops, etc. Several Dumaguete-based foreigners I know have visited Dipolog or Dapitan & say those are OK. I've been to Davao & CDO without trouble. Siargao (an island off the north coast) is downright popular & people I've talked to love Camiguin (another).

On the other hand, I'm not sure we should tone down the warning. The area is still dangerous as far as I can tell. Pashley (talk) 02:03, 26 March 2019 (UTC)Reply

DOWNGRADE.

It is hurting the tourism economy of the Philippines. Just look at the fact, when there was the last time that something happened. It is almost ten years now, damn!

All tourists who where there and all vloggers who filmed there, said there are no problems at all anymore.

Of course there isnt - the government came to an agreement with the rebels, there where succesful negotiations and nothing happened since then.

Otherwise it would be only fair to spam the article for New York, that it is dangerous to go there because of terrorist attacks. You all would be outraged, wouldnt you? 2001:9E8:84F8:2400:3C04:257B:733D:FB40 20:18, 5 January 2024 (UTC)Reply

Wikivoyage exists to provide information to travellers, not to promote tourism to any region. You may disagree with the U.S. Department of State, the UK Foreign Office, Global Affairs Canada, and others, but they provide warnings to travellers that are relevant, so we include them. Ground Zero (talk) 21:40, 5 January 2024 (UTC)Reply

The only "agreement with the rebels" I know of is described in the article as follows:

a peace deal between the government and the largest Moro militia group (Moro Islamic Liberation Front or MILF) was signed in 2012. However there are still armed rebel groups in some areas and a substantial Philippine military presence to suppress them; the two sides reportedly have ties to Al Qaeda and the CIA respectively.

Is there something more recent that I have not heard of? Does the above need an update since the radicals who took over Marawi made claims of affiliation with Da'esh, the so-called Islamic State? Pashley (talk) 22:26, 5 January 2024 (UTC)Reply

British national and his wife kidnapped in southern Philippines. Wife is Filipina & they were grabbed from a resort they owned in Zamboanga del Sur. Pashley (talk) 11:55, 9 October 2019 (UTC)Reply

Mindanao quake claims at least 5 lives. 6.6 magnitude. Pashley (talk) 10:33, 29 October 2019 (UTC)Reply

Several quakes in late 2023. e.g. w:December 2023 Mindanao earthquake Pashley (talk) 13:08, 6 January 2024 (UTC)Reply

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion:

• Siargaoisland.jpg

Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 16:31, 16 January 2020 (UTC)Reply

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion:

• Zamboanga city.jpg

Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 02:25, 13 April 2021 (UTC)Reply

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion:

• Cagayan de Oro Montage by Giojoe.jpg

Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 08:38, 25 July 2021 (UTC)Reply