MANILA – The Office of the President’s (OP) travel funds in the proposed 2025 national budget will be lowered by eight percent from this year, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.
According to Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, the OP-proposed P1.054 billion in travel funds for next year is P94 million lower than its P1.148-billion travel allocations in the 2024 General Appropriations Act.
“The OP may have reduced its planned travels both local and foreign next year based on its proposed budget,” Pangandaman said in a presser at Malacañang Palace.
Pangandaman, however, is confident that the lower travel budget of the President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will not affect the government’s thrust to lure investments to the country.
“We still continue to go out and parang kumbaga (it’s like) we market the Philippines as an investment destination – tuluy-tuloy po iyan,” Pangandaman said.
She added: “Samantalang, iyong iba po may mga pinirmahan na po na mga memorandum of understanding and agreement ang ating Presidente, kailangan pa rin po mayroon din pa pong follow–ups itong mga ito to ensure na makarating nga itong mga investments na nakalap natin noong mga nakaraang taon.”
President Marcos was criticized for his constant official travels abroad, where he is most of the time accompanied by his wife, Liza Araneta Marcos, and cousin, House Speaker Ferdinand “Martin” Romualdez.
But, the Board of Investments said that P640.22 billion worth of projects were recorded in the first five months of the year due to investment pledges bagged by President Marcos Jr. in his official foreign missions.
Over 13,000 jobs are expected to be generated by these investments./PN
