That Which Brings Us Together

Thank you for coming to Manila and for joining us for the First International Conference on Anti-Terrorism and Tourism Recovery.

Even though the final embers at the Twin Towers no longer burn, we find ourselves shifting through the rubble of Bali, Manado and Zamboanga.

While we bury our dead and tend to our wounded, we know that there are those who continue to harbour evil in their hearts and build bombs with their hands.

Terrible and tragic events have brought us together for these two days. But, thanks to your shared wisdom and experiences, and fortified by our common commitment, we leave here far better armed to fight terror.

Your active participation, and the fruitful exchanges and dialogue we have witnessed during the conference are eloquent testimony to the commitment of our governments to combat the scourge of terrorism.

We have committed to strengthen our cooperation.  We have affirmed that we will not let this evil defeat us.

Freedom to Travel

Yet, our efforts are of little value if we cannot bring assurances to the members of the world community that they can once again leave their homes and venture overseas to experience other cultures and spend their well-earned leisure time in countries such as ours.

To the global public, there is stamp of approval as to the state of a nation’s affairs that is better understood than its attractiveness as a tourist destination.

Tourism is a basic manifestation of the fundamental human freedom of movement and travel.
 
Magnifying the Damage

We must not allow the shockwaves of the bombs of terrorists to do more damage beyond the blast area.  Travel advisories multiply and magnify the damaging effects of terrorist bombs.

Travel advisories, particularly those that do not paint a true picture, pass unjust verdicts that virtually condemn countries as unsafe destinations.

As the tragic attacks we have seen the world over in the past years have occurred even in supposedly impregnable bastions of security, one can say ultimately that no area on this planet is absolutely safe.

What is of greater relevance is to evaluate and acknowledge the efforts and measures a given government taking to seriously and actively fight terrorism and ensure the security of the public.

This is something that we hope that the participants to our conference today will take into serious consideration when they return to their respective capitals.

Terrorism Must Not Divide Us

We must not let terrorism divide us.

While terrorism is not an entirely new phenomenon, it has taken center stage in the international public consciousness over the past months. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has joined with our regional neighbors in strengthening our collective resolve in combating terrorism in our recent APEC and ASEAN Summits held in Mexico and Cambodia respectively.

Today, we take the next practical step forward and manifest this very resolve and address a specific front in the broad and multi-faceted campaign versus terrorism – the recovery of the tourism industry.

During this conference, we have exchanged accounts of recent experiences, taken stock and inventory of previous commitments and initiatives, and proposed various new modes of cooperation.

While we have had a good start, we still have much work ahead in terms of fine-tuning the coordination of our various agencies and offices as they prosecute the war against terrorism.  Expertise and experience must be constantly shared as the techniques of terrorism are ever-changing.

This Evil Must Not Defeat Us

What must never change is our determination to defeat terrorism.  What must not change is our commitment to address all aspects of this problem, all the way down to the root causes.

What must not change is our hope that we will one day emerge victorious.

What you have done, here, in this Conference, is to bring us one step closer to that goal.

Thank you.