GOVERNMENT officials and employees were warned not to travel abroad for conferences and summits using taxpayers’ money.
In a speech during the inauguration of the Malasakit Help Desk at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City, President Duterte said he was disappointed over the frequent overseas trips of officials.
“Climate change in Africa conference. Climate change event in Canada. You go there for the conference. But here in the Philippines, one typhoon is going out, another one is coming in. Everyone is interested in going there. That’s why the money of the government is depleted,” President Duterte said.
He warned that if he caught one government official who was often out of the country, “patay ka (you’re dead).”
President Duterte said he required everybody “including the janitor” to explain in writing their reason for going abroad.
“If you go out of the country and you pay for it, no problem. Just say that I’m going out, I’m using my own money,” he said.
But if the government spent for the trip and accommodations, officials should submit a report to justify the trip, President Duterte said.
Last month, President Duterte sacked Marcial Amaro III as administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) for making 24 foreign trips since 2016.
In December last year Mr. Duterte dismissed former Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor chair Terry Ridon for “unnecessary trips.” – with an Inquirer report