Dilg To Tighten Travel Policies For Local Officials, After Backlash Over Sk’s Thailand Trip, Here’s All You Need To Know

Published on September 17, 2025

The guidelines astir nan sponsor recreation for Local Government Unit (LGU ) officials person attracted attention. There was nan angry guidance to nan travel to Thailand for nan alleged “capacity improvement and world benchmarking” funded by nan SK money for Sangguniang Kabataan (SK ) members from nan City of Manila. Reports for that recreation were criticized arsenic nan authorities funded travel. People started to request for much power connected authorities funded travel.

DILG Announces Review Amid Controversy Over SK’s Thailand Trip

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla stated connected Wednesday that nan DILG would revisit nan rules governing charismatic recreation for LGU personnel, including those pertaining to nan Sangguniang Kabataan. The reappraisal was prompted by nan contention surrounding nan Thailand trip, wherever participants from nan Manila SK posted astir their travels connected societal media, sparking nationalist criticism.

The posts, which showcased nan participants’ clip abroad, were viewed by galore arsenic indulgent and inappropriate, fueling accusations that nan travel was small much than a “junket” alternatively than an acquisition aliases master improvement opportunity. The rumor has raised broader concerns astir nan usage of nationalist costs for recreation and nan deficiency of clear guidelines connected what constitutes a morganatic government-funded trip.

Calls for a Policy Overhaul to Ensure Legitimate Travel Purposes

Secretary Remulla emphasized that it whitethorn beryllium clip to reassess existing recreation policies, peculiarly erstwhile it comes to government-funded travel. He stated that each government-sponsored trips must service a morganatic intent and lend to nan master improvement of nationalist officials, alternatively than serving individual aliases recreational interests.

“Maybe it’s clip to reappraisal nan argumentation to guarantee that each travel, if government-funded, is morganatic and serves a circumstantial purpose,” Remulla said successful a statement. He stressed that each government-funded travel should align pinch nan objectives of bully governance, including capacity-building and education, while avoiding unnecessary expenses.

Clarification of Rules connected Public Fund Use for Travel

To reside nan rumor comprehensively, nan DILG is readying to rumor a memorandum information to supply clear guidelines connected nan usage of nationalist costs for travel. This will see specifying which costs are acceptable for use, nan types of activities that warrant specified travel, and nan clearances required for these trips.

It was noted that nan DILG would intimately analyse nan connection of nan existing policies to guarantee clarity, peculiarly regarding nan sources of backing for charismatic travel. He emphasized that it is basal to found guidelines that forestall misuse of nationalist costs and guarantee that these costs are spent connected morganatic purposes that use some nan nationalist officials and nan citizens they serve. The purpose is to destruct immoderate ambiguity that could perchance lead to nan misallocation of nationalist resources.

A Personal Reflection: Stance connected Overseas Training Programs

Reflecting connected his ain acquisition arsenic nan politician of Cavite, Remulla shared that he ne'er approved of sending officials overseas for training programs, peculiarly those that could beryllium done locally. He expressed his belief that location are capable opportunities for capacity-building and master improvement wrong nan state and that world trips should only beryllium authorized erstwhile perfectly necessary.

The astir master improvement programs could beryllium achieved domestically, pinch less costs and little imaginable for misuse of authorities funds.

What struck nan astir about nan contention was nan measurement nan participants openly flaunted their acquisition abroad, sharing aggregate posts connected societal media that showcased their enjoyment of nan trip. This nationalist show of luxury and leisure led to further criticism, arsenic it appeared to show an irresponsible usage of payer money.

The Impact of Government-Funded Travel connected Public Trust

The contention surrounding nan SK’s Thailand travel highlights nan important effect that government-funded recreation tin person connected nationalist trust. When nationalist officials recreation abroad, particularly utilizing payer money, they are expected to guarantee that nan travel serves a morganatic intent that benefits some their master improvement and their constituents.

For galore citizens, seeing nationalist costs utilized for what appears to beryllium an royal aliases unnecessary travel tin lead to vexation and skepticism astir really authorities resources are allocated. This, successful turn, tin erode nationalist spot successful nan governmental strategy and nan transparency of section authorities operations.

Furthermore, nan contention has implications for tourism and recreation successful nan Philippines. International trips funded by authorities resources, peculiarly erstwhile they are seen arsenic excessive aliases unnecessary, tin bespeak poorly connected nan country’s governance and its attack to fiscal responsibility. This could power really visitors comprehend nan state and whether they take to put successful nan Philippines arsenic a destination for business aliases leisure travel.

The backlash against nan SK’s travel serves arsenic a reminder that authorities officials, sloppy of their position, must show accountability successful their usage of nationalist funds, particularly erstwhile it comes to travel. Ensuring that nationalist resources are utilized wisely and transparently will beryllium cardinal to restoring nationalist assurance and ensuring that tourism and different sectors of nan system use from responsible governance.

Looking Ahead: The Role of Clear Travel Policies successful Government Accountability

While preparing to reappraisal and explain its recreation policies, nan DILG will request to fulfill moreover wider obligations, relating to accountability and nan guidance of nationalist funds. By instituting and enforcing reasonable support processes and tighter oversight of authorities travel, these policies will thief minimize nan probability that taxpayers’ costs are wasted and that authorities labor enactment without due accountability.

Issuing a nationalist memorandum information will delineate nan boundaries of notification truthful that each recreation undertaken serves a bona fide purpose. By eliminating rate of costs for trips deemed unnecessary and taking a vigilant posture connected recreation authorization, nan DILG will assistance successful re-establishing assurance successful nan strategy while defending desirable accountability. Fostering overseas interaction and conducting trips that are not straight aligned to bully governance should beryllium a point of nan past. By making authorities recreation much sensible, nan DILG will beryllium capable to heighten recreation that will stimulate nan master improvement of authorities labor and accountability to nan Filipino citizen.