Use PHP or Java to access MySQL database?

From everything I have read out there I found there are two ways to connect to a MySQL database from Android. There seems to be a PHP solution which involves an API and a Java solution where the API is in Java using the JDBC driver. I also found a commercial solution ACEQL which uses the Java method but no free version since this is 500$.

I keep reading that the Android team discourages the use of the JDBC driver but I also read it is much safer than the PHP method. A lot of these articles and posts seem outdated, a few APIs ago maybe. I am wondering if anyone can surely tell me which method is safest/preferred. I an programming for API 16+.

Thank you for your time.