The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Office of the President (OP) for failing to collect ₱14.4 million in long-overdue reimbursements from government agencies for foreign trips taken from 2022 to 2024.
In its annual audit report, COA warned that the delays were beginning to strain OP finances.
“The continued delay in the settlement deprives the OP of funds originally budgeted for their operation, thereby affecting the delivery of program projects and activities for stakeholders and increasing risks of uncollected receivables,” the report stated.
The OP initially shouldered ₱11.95 million in hotel expenses and ₱2.4 million in airfare for officials from key departments and high-level offices who joined President Bongbong Marcos on various foreign missions. These included the House of Representatives, Senate, NSC, PCO, PMS, RTVM, TESDA, NHA, and several local government units.
More than half of the amount—₱7.47 million—has been outstanding for over two years, while ₱6.46 million has remained unpaid for one to two years. COA cited the lack of clear cost-sharing agreements, especially for airfare and chartered flights, as a key factor in slow collections.
Under current procedures, the OP only forwards hotel and airfare billings to agencies, without issuing follow-up demands once accounts become due. Auditors urged stronger tracking and collection mechanisms, noting that travel costs continue to form a significant part of the OP’s budget.
For 2025, the OP has requested ₱1.054 billion for travel, slightly lower than its ₱1.148 billion allocation this year.