JAN 12 2018 ton Yes bp | SYNE oo Pursuant to the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated Department Order No. 2018 -_95 Guidelines on Foreign Travels 03 January 2018 following the pronouncements of the President on strict observance of measures to address extravagant and lavish travel abroad of government officials and personnel, the following guidelines are hereby prescribed for the travel of DOT and Attached Agencies’ officials and personnel: 1 No official foreign travel shall be allowed unless it satisfies the following minimum criteria: (a) the purpose of the trip is strictly within the mandate of the requesting official or personnel, (b) the projected expenses are not excessive, and (c) the trip is expected to bring substantial benefit to the Department and the country. No official shall be allowed to undertake foreign travel unless authorization has been granted by the Secretary after complying with the above criteria; provided that appropriate Officer-In-Charge has been designated so as not to hamper the day-to-day operation of the office or agency. No personnel shall be allowed to undertake foreign travel unless an approved authority has been issued by the Secretary or his/her duly designated official as appropriately endorsed by the concemed Sector Head or Head of Attached Agency. As far as practicable, participation in travel fairs, investment forum, or roadshows shall be delegated to the concemed DOT Tourism Attaches or Market Representatives stationed abroad. Subject to the above minimum criteria, if assistance is required, only two (2) staff members from the Head Office shall be allowed to travel with exception of an official, if a high level representation is needed. Duration of the foreign travel for official and staff member from the Head Office shall not be more than four (4) days, exclusive of travel time. Foreign travel shall be allowed for attendance to meetings and negotiations in which the DOT or its Attached Agency is a member of an international and multi-lateral organization/s, bilateral meetings with other countries and international bodies, and Presidential visits and inter-agency meetings related to an international and multi-lateral commitment, as defined in Section 6 of RA 9593. Duration of such trip shall be based on the meeting schedule, exclusive of travel time. Foreign travel to conduct examinations, investigations, audits, inventories, and interventions may be undertaken, subject to the above minimum criteria and to specific guidelines and existing government accounting and auditing rules and regulations; provided that such mission shall not be more than 3 days exclusive of travel time whether short or long haul. The New DOT Buiding, 351 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., 1200 Makati City, Phiippines *P. O. Box 2682 Tel. Nos. (632) 459-6200 to 59-5230 * www itsmorefuninthephilippines.com * www.toursm.gov ph DOT RECORDS SECTION ) POD10. 1 12. 13. Foreign travel for international conferencels, trainings, and workshops may be allowed, subject to approval of the Secretary; provided that minimal and modest expense is incurred, and that no conference or training fee is charged to the Department. Only one personnel per agency may attend such conference and training. For workshops, attendance shall be based on the requirement for participation as defined in the international commitment of the Department or Attached Agency. Official/s and staff attending conferences and trainings shall be required to conduct an echo-seminar in coordination with the training division of their respective agency. Foreign travel for personal and private reason may be allowed, subject to approval by the Secretary or his/her duly authorized official; provided that such trip shall be at no expense to the goverment and that the Department is indemnified from any incident or case arising from said trip. Furthermore, said official or personnel must have submitted a duly approved leave application and the requisite clearance, if the travel is for more than 30 days. Members of any Committee is refrained from participating in any foreign travel as their role is supposedly for oversight and policy making only. Based on existing regulations, all personnel travelling for official mission abroad shall be allowed only international economy air tickets, daily subsistence allowance (DSA) in accordance with the UNDP rate for the destination, pre-departure expense, and the usual travel insurance, chargeable against the funds of their office/agency. Officials seeking business class intemational tickets for long haul trips (more than 4 hours) and representation allowance commensurate to their Position shall seek approval from the Office of the President, thru the Secretary of Tourism. Unless the approval from the President is released at the time of the departure, the said official shall be entitled only to economy class ticket. Claim for actual hotel accommodation shall be allowed upon presentation of approved authority from the Office of the President. In the absence of such, the usual DSA shall be used in the computation of appropriate allowance. Upon completion of foreign travel, concemed official or personnel shall liquidate their travel expenses within 60 days upon arrival. The Chief Accountant shall ensure that such period for liquidation is observed, otherwise, the salary of concemed official or personnel shall be withheld immediately in the succeeding payroll after the prescribed period.14. All officials and personnel shall liquidate their foreign travel by submitting the following documents to the Accounting Division, as provided under Section 1.2.4.2 of COA Circular No. 2012-001 12.1. copy of paper, electronic plane ticket, boarding pass, boat or bus ticket; 12.2 certificate of appearance or attendance from the organizing body of the event or the Tourism Attaché covering the destination; 12.3 revised itinerary of travel, if any deviation has been made; 12.4 narrative terminal report that provides for the benefits of said trip to the Department and appropriate recommendation, submitted to the Secretary of Tourism thru the Undersecretary for Administration and Special Concem; 12.5 Official Receipt, in case of refund or excess cash advance; 12.6 certificate of travel completed; and 12.7 liquidation report. 15. The Accounting Division shall appropriately acknowledge the liquidation documents of the concerned official or employee to ensure that prescribed timeline is recorded, 16. The Undersecretary for Administration and Special Concerns shall prepare a quarterly report of officials and personnel who have travel abroad, indicating therein the names of officials and personnel, destination, duration of the trip, nature and purpose of the travel, total cost incurred, and brief statement explaining how such official foreign travel trip complies with paragraph 1 of this Order. 17. The concerned Human Resources Division/Personnel Division of Attached Agencies shall also submit a quarterly report to the Undersecretary for Administration and Special Concems of all foreign travels by their officials and personnel as outlined in paragraph 6. All officials and personnel of the Department and its Attached Agencies are directed to strictly observe the foregoing guidelines on foreign travels. Failure to comply with the above guidelines may result in the filing of administrative actions for misconduct, insubordination and other related offenses under the Civil Service Commission Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the civil service and/or relevant laws, rules and regulations against the traveling officialipersonnel as well as the official who unduly endorsed or approved the travel authority or who failed to submit the list/report required herein This Order shall take effect immediately and all of its provisions shall remain valid until amended or revoked. This Order also supersedes all other issuances inconsistent with it — 10 January 2018 < Z land [e WANDA TULFO-TEO Secretary AARI69