The Malacañang Palace on Wednesday defended the billions increase in the Office of the President's (OP) expenses for both foreign and local travels in 2022.
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. started to travel around the country last year to ensure that government programs, projects, and assistance would reach the intended beneficiaries as part of the post-COVID recovery efforts.
"Moreover, directly connecting with the local governments, local communities, and sectoral groups is an integral part of the President's decision-making process," it added.
The PCO also said that the OP has accepted numerous invitations for international events, conferences, high-level meetings, and state visits as it believes that these will benefit Filipinos and the country.
It reiterated that the Marcos administration, guided by the 8-point Socioeconomic agenda, is taking the opportunities to generate foreign investment for the country's post-pandemic recovery initiatives.
"At the same time, we also hope to elevate our position in the international community through stronger bilateral ties and improved relations with multilateral or international organization," the PCO furthered.
Based on the Commission on Audit's (COA) annual audit, the total expenses of Marcos Jr.'s office for both local and foreign travel in 2022 reached ₱403 billion.
This record is ₱367 million higher than the ₱36 billion travel expenses recorded during the administration of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in 2021.
"Significant increase of ₱367,052,245.96 is due to the official travels relative to the foreign summits and state visits attended by the President the year in Singapore, Indonesia, United States of America, Cambodia, Thailand, and Belgium," the state auditor noted.
