Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. with First Lady Liza Araneta arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S.A. on Sunday, April 30, 2023, for a five-day official working visit. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US President Joe Biden will meet to affirm the relationship of the Philippine and the United States. 

Kj Rosales, PPA Pool

Article (news)

MARCOS- US TRIP

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176464642433520230501-marcos-us-arrival-jbandrews-PPA-3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. with First Lady Liza Araneta arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S.A. on Sunday, April 30, 2023, for a five-day official working visit. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US President Joe Biden will meet to affirm the relationship of the Philippine and the United States. Kj Rosales, PPA Pool</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Office of the President (OP) for failing to collect more than P14.4 million in advanced payments for foreign travel expenses of various government officials.</p><p>The outstanding amount covered flight and lodging expenses that the OP paid upfront on behalf of officials who joined presidential delegations since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022.</p><p>“Overdue receivable from other agencies pertaining to airfare and hotel accommodations of government officials initially paid by OP in connection with foreign travels amounting to P14,403,827.63 remained uncollected as of December 31, 2024,” the 2024 annual audit report read.</p><p>&quot;The continued delay in the settlement deprives the OP of funds originally budgeted for their operation, thereby affecting the delivery of program projects and activities for stakeholders and increasing risks of uncollected receivables,&quot; it added.</p><p>The uncollected expenses are associated with presidential visits to China, Japan, the United States, and several countries in Europe and Southeast Asia.</p><p>On Tuesday, Malacañang said it is looking into reasons why several agencies have yet to settle foreign trip expenses that the Office of the President paid for in advance.</p><p>&quot;May mga pagkakataon kasi na kailangan muna mag-audit, mag-report so aalamin po muna natin sa mga ahensya kung bakit natagalan ang kanilang pagre-remit,&quot; Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Palace press briefing.</p><p>&quot;Aalamin din po natin, hahanapin din po natin kung ano yung mga reasons kung bakit na-delay yung pagsusumite sa OP,&quot; she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DEBTOR-AGENCIES</strong></div><p>The state auditors said the incurred expenses came from officials of the Board of Investments, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Agriculture, Department of Finance, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Tourism, and Department of Trade and Industry.</p><p>The list also includes officials from the Senate of the Philippines, House of Representatives, Presidential Communications Office, Presidential Management Staff, National Security Council, Radio Television Malacañang, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.</p><p>COA noted that officials from local government offices, such as Bacolod, Sultan Kudarat, and Tawi-Tawi, were among the delegates whose expenses contributed to the uncollected sum.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/9/coa-gives-ovp-60-days-to-submit-corrections-in-2024-audit-report-2314">COA issues unmodified opinion to OVP, gives 60 days to ‘submit corrections’ in 2024 audit</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>LAPSES FOUND</strong></div><p>The audit report found that the OP initiated the trips without securing formal repayment commitments.</p><p>“Based on our inquiry with the Finance Office, there were no prior agreements regarding the arrangement of the fares and other daily travel expenses with the agencies concerned,” the report read.</p><p>“Moreover, there is no existing policy or guidelines issued by the OP with respect to billing/reimbursement from government officials/agencies serving as delegates to official state visit,” it added.</p><p>COA said the absence of an agreement before the travel posed a challenge in collecting the expenses. It added that no follow-up demands were issued to the debtor-agencies once the amounts became due.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/10/coa-office-of-the-president-spent-most-confidential-intelligence-funds-in-2023-1813">COA: Office of the President spent most confidential, intelligence funds in 2023</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>RECOMMENDATIONS</strong></div><p>The state auditors recommended to issue demand letters to the respective debtor-agencies for immediate collection and recovery of the overdue accounts.</p><p>It added that it is necessary to establish a mechanism that would facilitate collection of travel expenses incurred by other agencies to recover the funds.</p><p>“Fifty-two percent of the receivables or P7,470,108.96 have been outstanding for more than two years, while P6,469,992.26 or 45 percent have been due for one to two years. This indicates a need for the OP to strengthen its collection efforts recover these amounts from debtors,” the report read.</p><p>In response to the audit observation, the Office of the President informed COA that demand letters for the long-overdue accounts were sent to the respective debtor-agencies in April 2025.</p><p>It added that the remaining unpaid receivables will be “closely monitored through regular sending of collection/demand letters.” -- <strong>with a report from Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/1/op-flagged-for-spending-100-of-confidential-funds-only-78-of-regular-budget-in-2024-1950">OP flagged for spending 100% of confidential funds, only 78% of regular budget in 2024</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VEURclIRIrk?si=BuQGv24Zk50pi2Sq" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>In response to the audit observation, the Office of the President informed COA that demand letters for the long-overdue accounts were sent to the respective debtor-agencies in April 2025.</p>

In response to the audit observation, the Office of the President informed COA that demand letters for the long-overdue accounts were sent to the respective debtor-agencies in April 2025.

COA flags P14.4-M unsettled expenses from Presidential trips

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COA flags P14.4-M unsettled expenses from Presidential trips

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 02, 2025 11:41 AM PHT

|

Updated Dec 02, 2025 12:50 PM PHT

Read More:

COA

audit

Marcos

presidential

foreign trips

debt

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