Execs’ foreign travel assailed

However, under the Department of the Interior and Local Government's (DILG) latest Memorandum Circular on the use of FTA Online System Application, all local officials who intend to travel abroad —whether official or personal---are required to secure permission from the DILG Secretary, currently held by Jonvic Remulla.

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Specifically, Section 4.3 of the circular states that during periods of emergency or crisis, the approving authority for all foreign travel, official or unofficial, must be the SILG himself or his authorized representative.

This means that any mayor, governor, or local official who travels abroad while their locality is under a declared emergency — such as a state of calamity must first obtain clearance from the DILG Secretary.

"SILG/USLG to approve and sign action documents, relative to request for travel authorities of the specified LG Officials and Employees under Item 3.3 upon recommendation of the Bureau of Local Government Supervision," the memo reads.

The memorandum cites Executive Order No. 77, series of 2019, which mandates that the SILG approve all official foreign travels of local government personnel and also covers unofficial trips such as vacations, medical purposes, or family events.

As of press time, The Freeman has reached out to the mentioned mayors for confirmation and comment, but none of them have responded yet.

Baricuatro, in an interview, confirmed that the said officials filed their travel authority requests prior to the series of disasters that hit Cebu in recent days.

“Yeah, SOP man ‘na no, before sila mobiya naa man na authority to travel,” Baricuatro said, referring to the usual practice of filing for travel permits with the governor's office.

She added that, while the decision to travel is the prerogative of the elected officials, they remain accountable to their constituents, especially in times of crisis. “You know, that could have been avoided. Ila sad na prerogative, they are answerable to the people. It is not for me to say, but ilaha sad ‘na,” the governor said.

Baricuatro emphasized that the provincial government had been proactive in preparing for the typhoon, coordinating with utilities and LGUs for massive evacuation and disaster response.