PUERTO GALERA, Oriental Mindoro—In the wake of recent cases of kidnapping, murder and extortion activities on their fellow nationals allegedly committed by ranking police law enforcers, Korean nationals here have expressed their fears that they might be the next victims of similar incidents.
In response, the local government and the Philippine National Police jointly expressed their assurance to South Korean nationals and their steadily growing community here of their safety and protection during a recently held dialog among the island’s stakeholders.
Puerto Galera Mayor Rockey D. Ilagan and the Sangguniang Bayan, headed by Vice Mayor Marlon L. Lopez, also guaranteed full cooperation with the South Korean nationals for their protection and to make Korean tourists and investors safe.
“The local government and the PNP will guarantee and make sure the protection of your investments and the safeness of the stay of your compatriots here in our town,” Ilagan, a three-time former barangay chairman of Sabang, stressed.
During the meeting in Sabang, Chief Superintendent Wilben M. Mayor, PNP regional director for Mimaropa, assured the South Koreans, who are mostly resort owners, which they are “safe and fully protected to stay in Puerto Galera” and the two ugly incidents that happened in Angeles City, in Pampanga, will not happen here.”
Mayor also urged the South Korean expatriates and investors to open communication lines with local government and police officials of Puerto Galera by organizing themselves into one solid group to expedite the resolution of issues and other problems confronting them.
“With an organized group, the LGU and the PNP could expedite the resolutions of issues and their other problems with the community,” he said.
Cha Eun Sik or Michael Cha, owner of the Oceana Beach Resort, conveyed their group’s gratitude to the local and police officials for their concern on the welfare of South Korean businessmen and tourists staying in this resort town.
Cha said there are 88 South Korean establishment owners who own resorts in this municipality, mostly in Barangay Sabang, operating dive centers, hotels and restaurants.
Meanwhile, Song Yoon No, 49, also a South Korean resort owner, said all the negative reports involving their nationals and the national police force do not affect their relationship with the host municipality which remains “cordial and warm.”
South Korean tourists who visit Puerto Galera every year have reached to a high of more than 100,000 persons, Cha said.
The tourists from South Korea now almost outnumber European and American visitors who come in mostly during the winter months of November to February.
Senior Superintendent Christopher C. Birung, Oriental Mindoro provincial director, designated Chief Inspector Catalino P. Batulayan Jr. as chief of provincial tourist police unit and Chief Inspector Lawrence Panganiban as the new Puerto Galera police chief.