MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and senators should cut their travel expenses in the face of the global economic crisis, opposition Senator Manuel Roxas II said Tuesday.

Roxas said the government should tighten its belt by reducing expenses, such as trips abroad, the widening and extension of roads, and the importation of rice from Vietnam and Thailand, among others.

"Ang dapat na maghigpit ng sinturon ay ang gobyerno mismo. Dapat ipagpaliban ang mga deferable na gastusin ng gobyerno at huwag na lang gastos ng gastos [It is the government that should tighten its belt. Government expenses that can be deferred should be deferred instead of spending] as if [it is] business as usual," he said at a press conference.

Instead of spending for the travel of entourages of as many as 200 persons on her trips abroad, Roxas said Arroyo should use the money to help overseas Filipino workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the financial crisis and need reptriation.

"Kung magbibyahe ang Pangulo, hindi naman kailangan na 200 ang kanyang kasama [When the President travels, she does not need 200 companions]," he said.

Roxas said funds for road widening and extension should be used instead to increase the funding of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp.

The senator also called on his colleagues to refrain from unnecessary trips abroad.

"Itigil ang pagbibyahe [Stop traveling]," he said when asked what the Senate can do to help. "Palagay ko di naman mahalaga yan [travel] para magampanan namin ang aming trabaho [I don’t think it is necessary to our performing our jobs," he further said.

Roxas said senators should learn to prioritize as he insisted on the need to revise the proposed 2009 budget to cope up with the financial crisis.

He said he would meet with former and current budget officials to discuss the impact of this global crisis and how to "reflate" the domestic economy.