Vice President Sara Duterte pressed Malacañang to implement full public disclosure regarding all travel clearances issued to government personnel, demanding total transparency on the expenses and state resources allocated for such trips.
In a official statement released on August 18, Duterte emphasized that government agencies—including the Executive branch—must strictly uphold the core principles of fiscal transparency and public accountability.
“Where do public funds go?” Duterte asked, as she pressed for openness on official travel expenditures.
Highlighting the oversight role of the Palace, the Vice President pointed out that the Office of the President holds the authority to approve travel clearances across various state departments, covering its own leadership and administrative personnel.
“Transparency and accountability should not be demanded from a single government office alone,” Duterte said.
She maintained that releasing detailed reports on state-funded trips directly serves the public interest, particularly when accounting for total expenditures and state resources consumed.
“In this light, the public would surely appreciate full information on the travel expenses incurred by these offices and officials, including the public funds used for such trips,” she added.
Advocating for proactive transparency, Duterte called for the immediate, open release of all Palace-issued travel authorizations along with an itemized account of related financial costs.
“From hereon, we expect that all travel authorities issued by the Palace, together with the corresponding travel expenses and public funds involved, be made available to the public,” she said.
Her remarks followed recent public confirmation from Malacañang regarding a scheduled travel authority granted for her personal visit to Japan.
Addressing those reports in a separate communication, the Office of the Vice President stated that initial details about the Japan trip were inaccurate, clarifying that her plans had been altered and updated documentation was formally submitted to the Office of the President.