Palace reminds public servants to focus on duties, not travel

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro (Philippine News Agency/facebook)

MANILA – Malacañang on Wednesday stressed that public officials, particularly lawmakers, must focus on their duties and responsibilities to help advance national development.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the country’s progress depends on the collective effort of all sectors.

“Para umanlad ang bansa, magtrabaho tayong lahat. Ang mga mambabatas ay obligadong gumawa ng magagandang batas para sa bayan at mamamayan (For the progress of the country, we must all work together. Lawmakers are obligated to craft good laws for the nation and the people),” Castro said.

Castro issued the statement after Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte revised his initial request to travel to 17 countries from Dec. 15 to Feb. 20.

In the updated request, Duterte seeks clearance to visit the Netherlands from Jan. 3 to 15 to visit his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently at the International Criminal Court’s detention facility for crimes against humanity charges linked to his deadly drug war.

Castro said public servants who prioritize frequent vacations and overseas trips fail to fully understand the issues facing the country.

She added that they also tend to evade allegations of corruption leveled against them.

“Kapag puro bakasyon at world tour ang gagawin ng isang public servant, wala talaga siyang maiintindihan at wala siyang gagawin kundi iwasan ang isyu ng korapsyon na kinakaharap niya (If a public servant does nothing but go on vacation and world tours, they will truly understand nothing and will do nothing except avoid the corruption issues they are facing),” Castro said.