National Mourning Day "Deepest Sympathy"

National Mourning Day "Deepest Sympathy"

President PNinoy Aquino declared August 25 as National mourning day.  He ordered Philippine flags to be flown at half-mast in remembrance of the hostage victims

After 11 hours of hostage taking, 8 Hong Kong Nationals and hostage taker ended their lives. The Hong Kong Government raise black travel ban to their people to travel in  the Philippines. Where as the black travel ban is the highest alert for travelers. This incident have a big impact to our tourism. Many have canceled their fight to the Philippines.  While others rebook their return earlier in response to this ban. Some continue their travel because they believe that it is just a rare incident. Still those who have traveled want the assurance of our government of their safety.

There are many to blames in the tragic hostage taking last Monday. What importance now is that the  Philippine Government must have specific plans in this kind of hostage situation.

Thus this is a rare situation. I would like to request the Hong Kong and Chinese people not to blame the Filipinos for the incident.

I, as a Filipino, would like to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of Hong Kong tourist hostage victims and to the Mendoza families.