DILG streamlines foreign travel approval for local officials

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has streamlined the processing of foreign travel requests of local government officials and employees by delegating approval authority to regional, provincial and city directors.

The revised mechanism follows Administrative Order No. 47, series of 2026, which authorizes the DILG secretary to further delegate the approval of foreign travel requests.

Under DILG Circular No. 2026-017, the DILG secretary will continue to approve all official and unofficial foreign travel of provincial governors, highly urbanized city and independent component city mayors, and the municipal mayor of Pateros.

The secretary will also handle requests from provincial, city and municipal elective officials if the trip exceeds three months or takes place during an emergency or crisis.

For official trips lasting three months or less and undertaken when there is no emergency or crisis, DILG regional directors may approve requests from provincial, city and municipal elective officials.

Regional directors are also authorized to act on official and unofficial foreign travel requests of appointive officials and employees of the same local governments when trips exceed three months or occur during an emergency or crisis.

For barangays in component cities and municipalities, DILG provincial directors may approve official and unofficial foreign travel of elective and appointive officials when trips exceed three months or take place during an emergency or crisis.

For barangays in highly urbanized and independent component cities, the authority rests with the DILG city director.

The revised approval mechanism took effect on 7 September.

Applications will continue to be processed through the DILG's Foreign Travel Authority Online System, which allows applicants to submit required documents electronically.