Burning of buses affect Region 12 tourism climate

KORONADAL CITY --- Stakeholders are worried the unabated burning of buses in central Mindanao will dampen the region’s tourism climate and erode the confidence of investors in the local economy.
Nelly Dillera, director for Region 12 of the Department of Tourism, on Thursday said eco-tourism entrepreneurs want authorities to address the problem squarely to prevent a backlash in their operations that employ people and generate much-needed revenues for local government units.No fewer than ten air-conditioned buses were burned in one arson attack after another by New People’s Army guerillas in central Mindanao’s adjoining Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces in the past six months.
The latest of these attacks happened Tuesday night in South Cotabato’s supposedly tranquil Santo Niño municipality, where there are farm resorts frequented by tourists.Disguised as passengers, five NPAs keeping handguns in sling bags commandeered a unit of the Yellow Bus Line while at Santo Niño, en route to General Santos City.

The rebels forced its driver and passengers to alight and set the bus on fire using kerosene placed in sealed containers they brought with them.It was the fourth unit of the same bus company NPAs had burned in just seven weeks in central Mindanao.

The NPAs had claimed responsibility for the arson attacks through radio stations in central Mindanao.

These burning of buses are so saddening. These incidents can affect the local tourism and business atmosphere, Dillera said.

The Regional Police Office-12 in General Santos City said Thursday municipal police offices in Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces will enlist the help of barangay officials in covert intelligence operations against NPA rebels preying on different bus companies.