Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced last week that the DILG will review the policies governing government-funded travel for local government officials, including those for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK).
In a media interview, Remulla suggested that it may be time to reassess the current policy, emphasizing that all government-funded travel should serve a legitimate purpose. “Maybe it’s time to review the policy to ensure that all travel, if government-funded, is legitimate and serves a specific purpose,” he said.
His remarks followed controversy surrounding posts by Sangguniang Kabataan members from the City of Manila, who shared about their supposed “capacity development” and “international benchmarking” activities in Thailand, funded by SK funds. The posts sparked backlash from netizens, who criticized the trip as a mere junket.
In response, Remulla revealed that the DILG plans to issue a memorandum circular to clarify rules surrounding the use of public funds for travel. “We need to carefully examine the language, particularly when it comes to where the funds should or should not come from,” he said. “We also need to specify the clearances required for such trips.”
Reflecting on his own experience as governor of Cavite, Remulla shared that he never allowed such overseas training programs. “Training and capacity-building abroad, I don’t think that’s necessary,” he explained.
“What surprised me most was the way they openly flaunted their good time, posting about it repeatedly,” Remulla continued. “It’s part of a larger culture of trying to impress others, and that’s ultimately what led to all of this.”