PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has authorized the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to delegate the approval of foreign travel requests of local government officials to designated representatives.
By the authority of the president, acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto signed Administrative Order (AO) 47, which amended AO 267 (1992), aimed at expediting the processing of travel applications among local government officials.
Under AO 267, the DILG secretary had exclusive authority to approve such travel requests.
The latest amendment allows the DILG chief to pass on that authority to designated representatives for faster processing, Malacañang said on Thursday.
“Considering the volume of travel requests and the increasing demands of regional coordination, there is a need to refine approval processes to ensure responsiveness amid contemporary government realities, strengthen government systems and improve bureaucratic efficiency, while also maintaining sufficient oversight and supervision over local governments,” the AO read.
Under Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code, local government officials traveling abroad must secure permission from the Office of the President when the period of travel extends to more than three months, during periods of emergency or crisis, or when the travel involves the use of public funds.
The order also cited the rules governing official local and foreign travel of government personnel under Executive Order 77 (2019), emphasizing the need to make government systems more responsive while preserving accountability and oversight over local government units.
