Duterte to limit foreign travels of gov’t officials beginning January 1

After firing officials over unnecessary or luxurious travels, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would want officials under the executive branch to remain in the country starting January 1, 2018. (PCOO PHOTO)

After firing officials over unnecessary or luxurious travels, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would want officials under the executive branch to remain in the country starting January 1, 2018.

The President said some officials are “dead woods” for frequently going out of the country and being unable to sign papers. He added that these officials are using their countrymen’s money “for flimsy reasons.”

“Kaya umiinit talaga ang ulo ko (That’s why I’m losing my temper). Come January 1, I told [Executive Secretary Salvador] Medialdea – Well, I do not want to interfere with Congress and the Supreme Court… but here [in the executive branch], no travel now. I’ll cut it. Whatever. Except the diplomats,” Duterte said on Thursday.

“Ayaw ko na lang sabihin mapahiya ‘yung tao. Basta sabihin ko muna walang travel. Mag-starvation diet muna tayo diyan (I do not want to say [who], the person might be humiliated. I will say, no travel for now. Let’s put ourselves under starvation diet),” he added.

Duterte was speaking at the launch of the Department of Agriculture’s Rice and Corn Blend Program and at the Sasa Wharf for the commissioning of two Philippine-made vessels named after “unheralded” heroes.

During his speech, he disclosed that he told Medialdea of his request which he would like to impose on the first day of 2018. “‘Yung lahat na every month nag-travel (All those who travel every month), you go. I do not need you in the executive department. So walang travel talaga (no travel at all), January 1,” the President said.

Duterte also noted that he would have officials’ history of foreign trips audited to “look for plenty of victims.”

The Chief Executive, however, stated that he would make an exemption for officials taking a trip for personal reasons such as visiting a dying loved one abroad. He added that he would also be strict especially in the matters of money.

The President’s remarks came three days after he directed Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) President Elba Cruz to vacate her post.

Cruz was accused of mismanagement, lack of “knowledge, temperament, and behavior” toward employees, violations of Civil Service Commission (CSC) rules, and frequent foreign travels in the eight months since she assumed office.

Cruz was first appointed by Duterte as a member of the DAP Board of Trustees in March. She replaced former DAP president Antonio Kalaw Jr. who had held the position since 2006.

The President also fired all the commissioners of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) for being notorious for junkets abroad.

Duterte had alleged that the commission’s former chairperson Terry Ridon travelled abroad about seven times, which he said was ironic since Ridon chaired an anti-poverty body. However, PCUP former chair defended that all his trips were authorized by the Office of the President.

The Palace, for its part, is currently looking into the luxurious foreign travels of five Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) officials.