DILG reviews LGU officials’ travel policies

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is scrutinizing government-funded travel for local officials, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Friday.

Remulla said it may be time to reassess the policy to ensure that all government-funded travel is legitimate and serves a specific purpose.

His comments follow public backlash over social media posts from Sangguniang Kabataan members from Manila who shared about a “capacity development” and “international benchmarking” trip to Thailand funded by SK funds. Critics called the trip a “junket.”

Remulla said the DILG plans to issue a memorandum to clarify the rules for using public funds for travel.

“We need to carefully examine the language, particularly when it comes to where the funds should or should not come from,” Remulla said. “We also need to specify the clearances required for such trips.”

Drawing on his experience as a former governor of Cavite, Remulla said he never allowed such overseas training programs.

“Training and capacity-building abroad, I don’t think that’s necessary,” he said.

Remulla also said he was surprised by the way the SK members “openly flaunted their good time, posting about it repeatedly.” He said this was “part of a larger culture of trying to impress others, and that’s ultimately what led to all of this.”