Dominguez orders DOF agencies to avoid meetings in costly venues

In line with the Duterte administration's austerity program, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has ordered officials and employees of the Department of Finance (DOF) and its attached agencies to stop holding meetings and other work-related events in expensive private venues.

Meetings should be held instead at the Ayuntamiento de Manila—the office of the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) in Intramuros, the Cabinet official noted.

Any work-related events of the DOF or of its attached agencies to be held in another place should be justified before the office of the Finance Secretary.

"In the interest of frugality, when choosing venues for meetings in Metro Manila that will cost the government money, the Ayuntamiento should be the top priority," the Finance chief said.

Holding meetings and other work-related functions at the Ayuntamiento is cheaper than in private venues which entail expensive rental fees.
 
Only a minimal fee for operating expenses will be charged against DOFand its attached officesholding meetings in any of the Ayuntamiento's function halls.
 
Finance Undersecretary Maria Lourdes Recente noted the DOF hosted the signing of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Microfinance NGOs Act at the Sala de Sesiones of the Ayuntamiento on Tuesday in line with the Finance secretary's directive.

The Bureau of Customs also held the first of its series of public consultations with stakeholders on the IRR of the Customs and Tariff Modernization Act at the grand Marble Hall of the same historic building last Wednesday, Recente added.

The Duterte administration's policy of austerity and simplicity also means that all public officials and employees should abstain from using luxury cars and fly in economy class instead of charging the government for business class tickets.

They are also ordered to forego junkets to save public funds. — Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News