SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1 0 6 7 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ES;JlRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article II, Section 28 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution in no uncertain 
terms declares that the State adopts and implements a policy of full public 
disclosure of all its transactions involving public interests. Article XI, Section 1 of 
the 1987 Philippine Constitution further provides that public officers and 
employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with 
utmost responsibility and lead modest lives. 
Unfortunately, even as the present administration has been charged with 
allegations of corruption in the form of overpricing, disadvantageous government 
contracts and spurious transactions such as that of the fertilizer fund scam and 
the ZTE-NBN deal, several high ranking officials of the Philippine National Police 
were caught by Russian officials carrying an undeclared amount of 106,000 
Euros allegedly for the purchase of intelligence equipment. This brought 
international fame, or rather infamy, to our country highlighting the system of 
corruption and extravagant use of taxpayer's money which has become so 
deeply ingrained in our present government. Further, the so-called "Euro 
Generals Scandal" has introduced a different avenue of misappropriating public 
funds - under the guise of official travel/contingency funds, or as intelligence and 
confidential funds. 
It is conceded that the provision of funds for foreign or local travel of 
government officials or employees is a necessary government expense. 
However, the Euro Generals scandal shows that there is a compelling need to 
establish safeguard measures that will ensure transparency and accountability in 
disbursement, as well as appropriate use of public funds, in relation to official 
travels of government officials and employees. Thus, this proposed measure 
defines the parameters of authorized travel of government officials or employees 
and defines the allowable travel expenses for such trip. Further, the disclosure of 
the full amount of foreign currency brought into or out of the country in the course 
of the official travel is made mandatory by this proposed measure. Moreover, a 
completion report of the official business attended together with an accounting 
and liquidation of the funds used for the offiCial trip is mandated to be completed 
within a period of 60 days from the time that the concerned government official or 
employee reports back to work. Finally, penalties are prescribed for failure to 
comply with the obligation to disclose the amount of foreign currency carried and 
for non-compliance with the reportorial and accounting and liquidation 
requirements. 


. . 
Unfortunately, despite the clear constitutional mandates of upholding 
public trust, full fidelity in the use of public funds seems to remain unlikely. Thus, 
necessary steps that will eventually reverse the culture of corruption and 
inculcate accountability in public office in its place have to be taken with utmost 
urgency. Such is the intention of this proposed measure. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
Senator 


· 
, 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1 0 6 7 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
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REGULATING 
OFFICIAL 
LOCAL 
AND 
FOREIGN 
TRAVELS 
OF 
GOVERNMENT 
OFFICIALS 
AND 
EMPLOYEES 
TO 
ENSURE 
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE USE OF FUNDS 
REQUESTED 
FOR 
THE 
PURPOSE, 
DEFINING 
PENALTIES 
FOR 
NONCOMPLIANCE WITH DISCLOSURE, ACCOUNTING, LIQUIDATION AND 
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Government 
Employees Official Travel Accountability Act of 2013". 
SEC. 2. Coverage. - All government officials and employees, both 
national and local, including personnel of government owned and/or controlled 
corporations and government financial institutions shall be covered by the 
provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 3. Authorized Travel. - Only local and/or foreign travel which are 
urgent and extremely necessary, will involve the minimum expenditure for the 
government, and are expected to bring direct gain and immediate benefit to the 
agency concerned or the country shall be authorized. 
Chapter 1 - Official Local Travel of Government Personnel 
SEC. 4. Approval of Travel - All travels of officials and employees of 
National Government Agencies shall be approved by the head of office/bureau or 
its equivalent: Provided that travels that will last thirty (30) days or more are 
subject to the approval of the Department Secretary or his equivalent. 
Approval of travel of officials and employees of government-owned and/or 
controlled corporations and financial institution that will last for not more than one 
(1) calendar month shall be subject to the policies, rules and regulations adopted 
by their respective governing Boards. 


" . 
SEC. 5 . Allowable Travel Expenses. - The amount of allowable local 
travel expenses shall be determined by the Department head concerned, taking 
into consideration the daily subsistence requirements and other reasonable 
expenses that may be incurred in the course of the official travel, subject to the 
approval of the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management. Claims 
for reimbursement of actual travel expenses in excess of the travel expenses 
authorized by the Department head may be allowed upon certification of the 
head of agency concerned that the incurred expense is absolutely necessary in 
the performance of an assignment and submission of receipts. 
Chapter 2 - Official Foreign Travel of Government Personnel 
SEC. 6. Nature of Travel. - Only foreign travels and assignments under 
the category of conferences, special missions and other non-study trips shall be 
authorized such as those undertaken for the following purposes: 
a. 
To 
attend 
conferences 
or seminars 
sponsored 
by foreign 
governments or international government organization to which the 
Philippine 
government 
is 
committed 
or 
invited 
to 
send 
representatives or participants; 
b. 
To 
attend 
conferences 
or seminars 
sponsored 
by 
private 
organizations, whether international or not, invitations to which have 
been sent through their respective governments; 
c. 
To conduct examinations of investigations of Philippine government 
agencies or affairs; and, 
d. 
To undertake any other official missions which cannot be assigned to 
any other Philippine government official already abroad. 
SEC. 7. Approving Authority - All government officials and employees 
seeking authority to travel to a foreign country shall secure prior approval from 
their respective heads of departments or agencies or their equivalent, regardless 
of the duration of their travel, and the number of delegates concerned; Provided 
that all official travels abroad of Department Secretaries, Undersecretaries, 
Assistant Secretaries, heads, senior assistant heads and assistant heads of 
government owned and/or controlled corporations and financial institutions, and 
heads of local government units and other officials of equivalent rank shall be 
subject to the prior approval of the President. 
SEC. 8. Allowable Travel Expenses. -
Government officers or 
employees duly authorized to travel abroad shall be entitled to the Daily 
Subsistence Allowance (DSA) as provided under the United National 
Development Program Index, which shall be apportioned as follows unless 
otherwise stated in the UNDP Index: (a) fifty percent (50%) for hotel/lodging; (b) 
thirty percent (30%) for meals; and (c) twenty percent (20%) for incidental 
expenses, When the country of destination is not listed in the said Index, the 
DSA for the nearest country shall be adopted. Claims for reimbursement of 
actual travel expenses in excess of the DSA may be allowed upon certification by 
the head of the agency as absolutely necessary in the performance of an 
assignment and presentation of receipts, subject to the approval of the President. 


, 
, , 
SEC. 9 . Restrictions on Foreign Travel. - No government official or 
employee who is due to retire within one (1) year from the commencement of the 
official trip for which authority to travel is requested shall be authorized to travel 
to a foreign country as an official representative to attend trainings, conferences 
or other international commitments. 
In the event that there are several qualified prospective partiCipants to 
international trainings, conferences or study trips, the approving authority shall 
give priority to those who are forty-five (45) years old and younger. 
SEC. 10. Mandatory Disclosure. - Any government official or employee 
authorized to travel to a foreign country who brings into or out of the Philippines 
foreign currency as well as other foreign exchange-denominated bearer 
monetary instruments in excess of US$10,OOO or its equivalent regardless of 
source is required to declare the same in writing and to furnish information on the 
source and purpose of carrying and transporting such amount of foreign 
currency. 
For purposes of this Act, "other foreign exchange-denominated bearer 
instruments" shall refer to the following foreign exchange-denominated 
instruments in bearer form whereby title thereto passes to another by 
endorsement, assignment or delivery: traveler's checks, drafts, notes, money 
orders, bonds, deposit certificates, securities, commercial papers, trust 
certificates, custodial receipts, deposit substitute instruments, trading orders, 
transaction tickets and confirmation of sale/investment. 
Chapter 3 ~ Common Provisions 
SEC. 11. Supporting Documents. - All requests for cash advances and 
the corresponding cash advance vouchers for local and foreign travel shall be 
supported by the following: (a) travel order properly approved; (b) itinerary of 
travel; and (c) details of transportation and travel expenses to be incurred. 
SEC. 12 . Accounting and Liquidation of Cash Advances. - The cash 
advance for the official travel shall be duly liquidated and accounted for by the 
official or employee concerned strictly in accordance with the rules and 
regulations promulgated by the Commission on Audit for the purpose within sixty 
(60) days after his return to the Philippines, in case of official travel abroad, or 
within thirty (30) days of his return to his official station in case of official local 
travel. Non-compliance with the mandatory period for liquidation and accounting 
shall be a cause for suspension of other benefits and emoluments received by 
such official or employee until such time as he complies therewith. 
SEC. 13. Reportorial Requirements. - Every official or employee 
assigned or authorized to travel in accordance with the provisions of this Act 
shall, within sixty (60) days after his return to his permanent official station, 
submit a report with his recommendations, if any, on the conference or seminar 
attended, examination or investigation conducted, or mission undertaken, to the 
head of his office. In case the participation is in an international conference or 
convention abroad in whiCh the Philippines is represented by a delegation, a 
report of the delegation shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Department or 
the Office of the President, in the event that the Department Secretary is himself 


· '. 
authorized to travel not later than thirty (30) days after the closing of the 
conference or convention. 
All national government agencies and government-owned and controlled 
corporations and government financial institutions shall submit, on or before the 
last day of February of the year, a financial and accomplishment report of all the 
authorized local and foreign travel undertaken by any of its personnel the 
previous fiscal year, to the Senate Committee on Finance and House of 
Representatives Committee on Appropriations. Congress may further require the 
submission of additional data, documents and information as it may deem 
necessary to clarify and/or justify the expenses incurred by any government 
official or employee in the course of an authorized local or foreign travel. 
SEC. 14. Penalties. - Failure to comply with the foreign currency 
disclosure requirement under Section 10 of this Act shall be punishable with 
imprisonment of six (6) years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years and a fine 
ranging from Three Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 300,000.00) to Five Hundred 
Thousand Pesos.(Php 500,000.00), without prejudice to the application of other 
criminal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided for under other existing 
laws, rules and regulations. 
Violation of the provisions of Sections 12 and 13 of this Act shall be 
punishable with imprisonment of one (1) year and one (1) day to five (5) years 
and a fine ranging from One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) to Three 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P300,OOO.00) without prejudice to the application of 
other criminal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided for under existing 
laws, rules and regulations. 
SEC. 15. Separability Clause. -If, for any reason, any part or provision of 
this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions thereof, which 
are not affected, shall continue to remain in full force and effect. 
SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations and administrative regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent 
herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 17. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect immediately after 
its publication in at least two national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,