OP constantly monitoring uncollected expenses for Marcos' foreign trips

The Office of the President has been monitoring the outstanding bills from other government agencies after the Commission on Audit flagged the over P14 million uncollected expenses for President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr.'s foreign trips.

''Ito po ang masasabi natin patungkol diyan and I quote (This is what I can say regarding this): 'Collection letters were already issued in April and May 2025. Of the said amount, P7,887,555.64 or 55% were already collected to date. The OP consistently monitors the outstanding bills through monthly aging report and sending of collection demand letters,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a briefing.

More than P14 million in foreign travel expenses advanced by the OP for various government officials remained uncollected as of December 2024, the COA reported.

“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,” state auditors said in their annual audit report.

The uncollected amount reportedly covered expenses incurred by officials from other national government agencies, government-owned or -controlled corporations, and local government units who joined presidential foreign trips beginning in 2022.

The COA said that the officials came from 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 the Department of Trade and Industry.

State auditors said that the unliquidated expenses covered the President's visits to China, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and the United States.

COA noted that the OP’s advances were already overdue, with some remaining unpaid for more than two years.—AOL, GMA Integrated News