MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) entire passport revolving fund is “gone,” according to its chief, Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., who said he would be cutting off the agency’s foreign trips to replenish it.
“Our entire passport revolving fund is gone,” Locsin said in a tweet late Wednesday.
@DFAPHL Our entire passport revolving fund is gone; and we are in arrears to APO P388M for printing passport booklets; apparently the fund was eaten up by travel allowances(huh?), insurance, miscellany(what?). So bear with us until I find money to replenish the fund.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 20, 2021
He said the DFA currently owes P388 million to the state-owned firm APO Production Unit, Inc. for the printing of passport booklets.
“[A]pparently the fund was eaten up by travel allowances (huh?), insurance, miscellany( what?). So bear with us until I find money to replenish the fund,” Locsin said.
When asked about this during Thursday’s Palace briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque expressed confidence that the foreign affairs chief will be able to find funds to replenish DFA’s revolving passport fund.
No more foreign trips
In response to Roque, Locsin said he would cut off the DFA’s foreign travels to top up the agency’s passport fund.
“I am cutting off foreign travels. There’s tons of money there. No more conference trips. There’s Zoom,” he tweeted.
@DFAPHL Thanks Harry but no need. I am cutting off foreign travels. There’s tons of money there. No more conference trips. There’s Zoom. Will get Avisado to help me realign. I stopped bldg renovation and capital expenses. Government needs every peso for vaccination.@dododulay https://t.co/x7MlzTLFxc
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 21, 2021
“Will get [Budget Secretary Wendel] Avisado to help me realign. I stopped [building] renovation and capital expenses. Government needs every peso for vaccination,” he added.