President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a new directive granting the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) the authority to delegate the approval process for foreign travel requests submitted by local government officials.
The policy shift was established under Administrative Order No. 47 to expedite administrative processing in light of rising travel submissions and expanded regional responsibilities.
Explaining the rationale, the order stated:
”Considering the volume of travel requests and the increasing demands of regional coordination, there is a need to refine approval processes to ensure responsiveness amid contemporary government realities, strengthen government systems and improve bureaucratic efficiency, while also maintaining sufficient oversight and supervision over local governments,”
This measure amends Administrative Order No. 267, issued in 1992, which originally transferred the President’s approval authority solely to the DILG secretary.
Under the updated framework, the DILG secretary can designate representatives to review and authorize travel applications, easing administrative bottlenecks.
The directive reinforces existing provisions under Republic Act No. 7160 (the Local Government Code), which mandate that local officials secure permission from the Office of the President for foreign trips exceeding three months, travel during crises or emergencies, or journeys funded by public money.
Additionally, the directive aligns with Executive Order No. 77 from 2019, which outlines official travel parameters for state employees. The order balances operational speed with transparency and supervision over local government units.
Signed on July 30 by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto by authority of President Marcos, Administrative Order No. 47 takes effect immediately following its official publication.