One agency, 72 tickets: CoA questions drug board's P5.26-M travel spending

The Commission on Audit (CoA) questioned the Dangerous Drugs Board’s (DDB) procurement of airline tickets in 2025 after finding that 72 tickets worth P5.26 million were purchased from a single travel agency.

In its annual audit report, CoA said the tickets covered 59 local trips and 13 foreign trips involving DDB officials and personnel. All were procured from Explorer Express Travel Corp.

State auditors noted that under Republic Act No. 9184, government agencies are required to ensure procurement is conducted at reasonable rates and under procedures that promote competition and transparency.

CoA said it sought to determine whether engaging Explorer Express Travel was the most advantageous option for the government and whether the DDB had sufficient basis for repeatedly selecting the agency.

Auditors, however, found no evidence that the DDB compared rates with other travel agencies or directly searched for available commercial flights on the dates required.

“It appears that [DDB] has operated within a limited set of choices, but the absence of any documented efforts to compare other providers raises concerns about whether a more thorough market evaluation was conducted,” the report said.

CoA said the DDB’s reliance on a single private travel agency raised concerns over the transparency and fairness of its procurement process, particularly amid deficiencies in supporting documents.

“Without proper oversight, these practices may lead to several concerns…inadequate documentation or justification for bypassing standard procurement procedures, which may raise questions regarding the accountability and proper use of public funds,” state auditors said.

The audit agency said the practices could undermine the credibility of official travel arrangements and raise questions over compliance with procurement and travel guidelines.

CoA recommended that the DDB deputy executive director ensure that future procurement of airline tickets complies with prevailing procurement laws and regulations.

An online search by DAILY TRIBUNE showed that Explorer Express Travel is based in Caloocan, according to its Facebook page, which appears to have been established in 2025.

The DAILY TRIBUNE has reached out to the company for comment.