MALACAÑANG has yet to determine how much was spent during President Rodrigo Duterte's trips to two Southeast Asian countries, an official said Sunday.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan that the departments, which have representatives joining the President's attendance to Association and Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Summits in Laos and in Indonesia on September 5-9, shouldered their respective expenses.
"I will find out on Tuesday from the Office of the President. I will also get expenses from the Presidential Communications Office. Then I will also contact other departments because each of us paid for our trip," he said.
Andanar said that the Cabinet officials who joined the President in the trips paid for their respective hotels and other expenses.
Among the Cabinet officials who went with Duterte in Vientiane and Jakarta were Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol, and Andanar.
During the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III, the Office of the Executive Secretary released the estimated expenses for every foreign trip of the Chief Executive.
The expenses include transportation, accommodation, food, equipment and other requirements of the entire delegation.(SDR/Sunnex)