The
British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all
travel to central, southern and Western Mindanao, and the Sulu
archipelago including Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Jolo, where military
and police operations against terrorist and rebel groups are
continuing and where kidnappings and bombings have taken place.

There is a threat of kidnapping throughout the Philippines. We
believe that terrorists and criminal elements are continuing with
plans to kidnap foreign tourists from islands and coastal areas
in the southern Philippines – ie Mindanao and the Sulu
archipelago. Kidnappings from other parts of the Philippines
cannot be discounted. Boats travelling to and from offshore
islands and dive sites are possible targets.

There is a high threat from terrorism throughout the Philippines.
On 28 August 2005, an explosion on board a passenger ferry in
Basilan, Mindanao killed 2 people and injured at least 30. On 10
August, two bombs exploded in Zamboanga City, western Mindanao
when at least 25 people were injured. In February 2005, bombs in
Manila and Mindanao killed at least nine people and injured over
130 others. We believe that terrorist groups have the capacity to
mount attacks at any time and anywhere in the Philippines

You should also be alert to the risk of street crime.