After several government employees were axed for their alleged junkets, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade said that he has become stricter in approving official travels.
“We have to change now our form as mandated by the Office of the President,” Tugade said in an interview with ANC on Thursday.
“Ngayon, ‘pag merong magbibiyahe, bigyan mo ko ng history ng travel (Now, if someone will travel, they have to give me a history of their travels). Ilang beses kang nag-travel? Saan ka nagpunta? (How many times have you traveled? Where did you go?)” he explained in the same interview.
This came after admitting faults on DOTr’s approval of the trips.
Marcial Amaro III, the latest government official to join the President Rodrigo Duterte’s growing list of sacked officials because of ‘excessive trips,’ defended his foreign trips as approved by the DOTr.
(Read: Axed MARINA head defends foreign trips)
Tugade then said that he is not denying his faults for approving the trips.
“I have to be faulted at certain points because of approval. I accept the fault,” he admitted.
“But then, when you look at the totality of travel, makikita mo (you will see), more than 24, marami naman ‘yun (that is too much),” he added.
He also explained that Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) enjoys autonomy, and DOTr’s job is mostly to oversee their plans and activities.
Furthermore, Tugade said that government officials only have a maximum of 12 trips per year.
The Transportation Secretary stressed that all Duterte wants is to remove extravagant trips.
“In other words, what the President does not want is extravagance, ngayon (now) for us to do our government job, it requires physical presence. Kung lagi hong nagbabyahe ‘yan nasa’n na ‘yung (Now if you are always on trips, where is the) physical presence?” he explained.
He also noted that though it is not yet formal, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief-of-Staff Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero has been named as MARINA’s next chief. He said that his military experience will give a good sense of discipline for the new post.