I would still encourage you to visit Palawan. The warning, if ever, is for the south of the island which is closer to Malaysia. The northern half is practically safe. The most popular areas in Palawan are El Nido and Coron which is at the northern tip closest to Manila. Cebu and Bohol are likewise good options. Both islands are adjacent to each other. Travel between Cebu and Tagbilaran (Bohol) is via fastcraft (about 2 hours). If you want to avoid Manila, you can fly directly to Cebu. Cebu has good connections to Seoul, Busan, Tokyo, HK, Taipei, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, etc. Some other options near Cebu are Dumaguete and Siquijor island. Just google them or search video blogs on youtube. Check out this video by a Canadian traveler: