Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 3) — The budget secretary on Thursday defended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s request for a higher allocation for his official travels next year, saying it is “justified” as this will benefit the Philippines.
“I think ‘yung expenses ng travel as long as it will be beneficial at may mas advantage para sa bansa, I think okay lang po ‘yun. It’s justified,” Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.
[Translation: I think the travel expenses, as long as it will be beneficial and provides an advantage for the country, is okay.]
Her statement came after the media asked during a Palace briefing about Marcos’ proposal to increase the budget for local and foreign missions, and state visits to ₱1.408 billion, up 58% from the ₱893.87 million that was asked by the Office of the President for 2023.
Pangandaman said that aside from state visits, Marcos is also doing investment roadshows as part of the administration’s push to entice more businesses to invest in the country.
The budget executive even said during the first year of Marcos, the government already brought the Philippines back “to the map as an investment hub and opportunity for other countries.”
“Hindi lang ang president (It’s not only the president), kami po, we’ve been going out of the country to present the Philippines as an investment hub,” she added.
Since assuming the presidency, Marcos made more than 10 trips to different countries, with the government claiming the trips generated trillions of pesos in investment pledges.
Earlier this year, the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives questioned Marcos’ trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro said in January that the trip was “very lavish,” after a Vera Files report surfaced claiming that the Philippine delegation was composed of at least 70 people.
“Ang sabi nga natin diyan, very lavish,” Castro previously told CNN Philippines’ The Final Word.
“Napakarami naman ang dinalang tao sa Switzerland considering na napakamahal ng mga hotel at saka cost ng transportation, food, etc.,” she also said.
(Translation: As we say. it’s very lavish. Many people were brought to Switzerland considering that hotels are very expensive and also the cost of transportation, food, etc.)
Before Marcos made his second State of the Nation Address on July 24, groups also flocked to protest against his administration, with some of them claiming the president was more focused on his foreign trips than addressing issues facing the Filipino masses.
