The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will lead an investigation into local officials who traveled outside the country despite a memorandum suspending foreign travel during the onslaught of super typhoon “Uwan,” a presidential official announced Monday.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro revealed that a thorough investigation is necessary to determine how such actions may have affected calamity response efforts in their respective jurisdictions.

“First, an assessment is needed to know their motive for leaving the country and whether it truly affected the quick response toward our countrymen who were affected by the typhoon,” Castro said at a press briefing.

She cautioned against assigning blame prematurely, stating the matter “has to be studied first.”

The DILG memorandum circular no. 2025-110, dated 8 November, suspended official and unofficial foreign travel for elected and appointed local government officials from 9 to 15 November, in light of the devastation caused by both typhoon “Tino” and super typhoon “Uwan.”

“We will see first, since this is under the leadership of Secretary Jonvic Remulla. We will see how they will explain leaving the country despite the memorandum,” Castro said.