MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 18 - CLARIFYING EXISTING RULES AND REGULATIONS ON TRAVEL ABROAD OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES

WHEREAS, it has been observed that in many instances requests for authority to travel abroad whether on official business or for a private purpose are being submitted barely a few days before the date of departure giving no sufficient time for the Office of the President to evaluate the merit of each request. Moreover, in not a few cases supporting documents are either incomplete or not attached at all; and

WHEREAS, it has also been noticed that requests for authority to travel abroad of those not required to be cleared with this Office pursuant to Executive Order No. 401, series of 1990, and Memorandum Circular No. 7 dated September 30, 1992, are still being submitted despite their being already delegated to heads of offices.

WHEREFORE, all heads of departments, bureaus, offices, including government-owned or controlled corporations and local government units are hereby enjoined to observe the following:

1. Requests for authority to travel abroad of the following government officials shall be submitted to the Office of the President for approval:

(a) Department Secretaries
(b) Undersecretaries
(c) Assistant Secretaries
(d) Other officials of equivalent rank to (a), (b) and (c)
(e) Provincial Governors
(f) Mayors of highly urbanized cities or independent component cities

Since 19.07.98.