Marcos seeks reduced travel funds next year

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s office has requested lower domestic and international travel funds in the coming year due to a scaled-back travel schedule, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said on Thursday.

In a Palace briefing, Pangandaman said the Office of the President has requested a budget worth P1.054 billion for next year, an 8 percent or P94 million decrease from the P1.148 billion allocated in the 2024 General Appropriations Act.

"Perhaps, as seen in their proposal, they might have reduced travel both local and international," Pangandaman said when asked about the reason behind the lower budget.

Despite the reduction in the travel budget, Pangandaman assured the public that the objectives of maintaining both domestic and international engagements will not be compromised.

She also highlighted that existing memoranda of understanding and agreements signed by the President will still require follow-ups to ensure the investments secured in recent years are realized.

“As I have previously explained, together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and our economic team, we will continue to promote the Philippines as an investment destination. We will keep moving forward with this,” Pangandaman said.

Since taking office, Marcos' international trips have faced criticism; however, he has defended them by emphasizing their importance for attracting potential foreign investments.

As of writing, Marcos has undertaken a total of 27 foreign trips since he took office in June 2022. His international travels nearly doubled from seven countries in 2022 to 12 in 2023.

So far, Marcos has made eight foreign trips this year -- with Singapore being the latest destination last May -- as he was the keynote speaker at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense summit.

After that foreign trip, Marcos frequently had his provincial trips to personally extend government aid and assistance to Filipinos in various parts of the country.

During his speech in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on 20 May, Marcos highlighted that traveling to different provinces helps him connect with everyday Filipinos and understand their urgent concerns, rather than remaining solely in his office at Malacañang.