Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 21) — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he is doing away with foreign travels in the agency in the wake of the depleted passport revolving fund that may be used to improve services.
He said this on Thursday in response to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque saying he will raise the issue with the Department of Budget and Management.
“Thanks Harry but no need. I am cutting off foreign travels. There’s tons of money there. No more conference trips. There’s Zoom,” Locsin said in a tweet, adding that the country would need as much funds as possible for COVID-19 vaccination.
He said on Wednesday that the entire passport revolving fund “was eaten up by travel allowances, insurance, [and] miscellany.”
@DFAPHL Our entire passport revolving fund is gone; and we are in arrears to APO P388M for printing passport booklets; apparently the fund was eaten up by travel allowances(huh?), insurance, miscellany(what?). So bear with us until I find money to replenish the fund.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 20, 2021
He added that the Department of Foreign Affairs already owes the government-run APO Production Unit ₱388 million for the printing of passport booklets.
Locsin said he put a stop to building renovations and capital expenses to help replenish the fund, and that he will ask Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado to help him realign the budget.
The passport revolving fund comes from fees charged for services rendered by the agency to passport applicants who require special consideration, waiver or issuance beyond regular office hours. The Philippine Passport Act states that this may be used to improve passport issuance, consular and other services, except for travel and transportation allowances and expenses.
