MANILA: Malacanang has accepted Vice President Sara Duterte’s call for greater transparency on government officials’ foreign trips, saying it is willing to disclose all travel authorities and expenses issued by the Office of the President (OP).
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro (pic) said the OP has always been transparent about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s foreign trips, including his official and working visits.
“The Office of the President has always been transparent when it comes to travel,” Castro said in a briefing on Wednesday (Aug 19).
“There have even been reports, and you have seen what happened during the foreign trips, official visits and working visits of our President. These are not hidden. They are not being concealed,” she added.
According to Castro, President Marcos’ foreign trips were not being hidden to the public.
“There are complete receipts. There are no fake receipts and no aliases. These can be seen, and they have also been reported to the Commission on Audit,” she said.
The OP is seeking P1.014 billion for local and foreign missions and state visits under the proposed P10.083-billion 2027 budget.The amount is slightly lower than its P1.018-billion travel allocation under the 2026 national budget.
This will most likely be enacted as is in the 2027 General Appropriations Act (GAA), with lawmakers historically citing parliamentary courtesy during budget deliberations of the OP.
Duterte made the challenge after canceling her planned personal trip to Japan from Aug 19 to 24. She said all travel authorities issued by the Palace, along with corresponding expenses and public funds used, should be made available to the public.
Marcos’ budget for local and foreign missions have been decreasing since 2024, when he received the highest allocation of P1.4 billion.
The OP shall issue the foreign travel authority for members of the Cabinet and officials of equivalent rank; heads of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financing institutions (GFIs) under or attached to the OP; and heads of agencies under or attached to the OP.
“From hereon, we expect that all travel authorities issued by the Palace, together with the corresponding travel expenses and public funds involved, be made available to the public,” she said.
Castro, however, said Malacañang was not singling out Duterte and that it would confirm to media and the public any travel authority the OP has issued to any government official.
“What we really need here is transparency. Whoever demands transparency should also be transparent about their activities,” she added. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
