President Rodrigo Duterte has announced that beginning January 1, 2018, officials in the Executive Branch are no longer allowed to make trips outside the country as these travels are waste of money and cause delay of work in the government.
He said he instructed Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to do the preparation and issuance of the order that will prohibit all government officials under his wing to make trips abroad, but this excludes diplomats and those whose purpose of flying overseas are personal.
“That is why I told Medialdea that on January 1 — Well, I do not want to interfere with Congress and the Supreme Court because it is theirs. But in mine, no travel now. I’ll cut it off. Except the diplomats, and the ambassador,” Duterte said during the commissioning of ships in Davao City.
Duterte said that going out in the country means having to spend per diems, hotel fees, and fare, that is why it is best to cut off these expenses and go on a “starvation diet.”
“I am not generalizing but mostly in Manila, they are like dead woods there. If people go to them to have documents signed, the authorized official is not around because they went abroad,” Duterte said.
Moreover, the president said that from now on he will start having the records of officials who leave the country every month checked, adding that he does not need them in the executive department.
(DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 12/ 22 / 17)