Malacañang on Tuesday downplayed a Commission on Audit (COA) finding that over ₱14 million in foreign travel expenses remained uncollected, saying the Office of the President (OP) is actively pursuing reimbursements from state offices.
In a briefing, PCO Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro clarified that the flagged amount was not related to President Bongbong Marcos’ personal travel, but reflected delayed payments from agencies whose delegations joined his official trips.
“Collection letters were already issued in April and May 2025… (Of these), 55% were already collected to date,” she said, adding that the OP continues to monitor the remaining balance through monthly reports and follow-ups.
“Nagbibigay na po ng mga demands ang OP… Dumadaan ito sa legal na proseso,” Castro added, citing bureaucratic procedures as the cause of delays. “May mga legal na proseso… aalamin po natin kung bakit na-delay,” she said.
The COA observation comes amid continued public scrutiny of the Marcos administration’s foreign travels and ongoing concerns over alleged corruption in government infrastructure programs.