Revised Guidelines on Foreign Travels

January 11, 2017

DA MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 03-17

 

In order to promote administrative efficiency and improve work process in the procedures for the preparation and approval of official travel authority, all concerned offices are hereby enjoined to adhere to the following guidelines:

I. Coverage

1. Trips requiring the approval of the Office of the President includes the following:

- Trips of the Department Secretary, and officials of equivalent rank (EO 459, S. of 2005).

- Trips that claim representation allowance (OP MC 7, dtd. 19 Nov. 2010).

2. Trips requiring the approval of the Department Secretary:

- Study trips processed/facilitated by NEDA, TESDA, CHED & DFA under Overseas Development Assistance Program (Degree & Non-Degree Course).

- Study trips which will require government funding other than pre-travel expenses (Degree & Non-Degree Course).

- Study trips where expenses will be charged against foreign-assisted projects or other funding institutions. HTcADC

- Non-study trips and other international commitments which require partial or full funding by the Philippine government.

- Non-study trips incurring government expenses limited to pre-travel expenses.

II. Guidelines in the Preparation of Official Travel Authority (TA)

1. Request for Travel Authority (TA) of officials and employees should be submitted to DA-HRDD and duly supported by the following documents:

- Invitation letter or acceptance/admission letter;

- Request from the Head of Office addressed to the Secretary;

- List of foreign travels/trainings undertaken/attended for the last three (3) years, if none, submit a certification certified by the Chief, Personnel Officer;

- Last travel report (if submitted, attached received copy);

- Updated Personal Data Sheet (CSC Form 212) with recent picture (Division Chief and below);

- Certification of no pending administrative case issued by the Head of Office/Chief, Legal or Personnel Officer (O.P. Memo dtd. July 27, 1998);

- Updated Service Record;

- Duly accomplished and notarized Training/Scholarship Contract for training and Study trip (see attached forms);

- Duly accomplished and notarized Service Contract for non-study trips for countries like, U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, European Countries and Canada;

- Revitalized Briefer Form (BF) as per Memorandum from the Secretary dtd. October 12, 2016;

- HRDD Tracking Slip (see attached);

- Justification (as to the relevance of such activity to the functions of the participant/s or agency and if it entails government expenses, to facilitate decision on whether foreign travel is justifiable or not duly signed by the Head of Office (O.P. Memo dtd. June 14, 1995) and late submission for the prescribed deadline in the preparation of travel authority; and

- Request for clearance duly approved by the Undersecretary concerned per Designation and Thematic Assignments of DA key officials (S.O. 06, S. of 2015; S.O. 810, S. of 2014; S.O. 634 S. of 2014).

2. Nature of Travel

- Travels and assignments under the category of conferences, special missions and other non-study trips such as those undertaken for the following purposes (E.O. 248, Section 7, S. of 1995): aScITE

a) To attend conferences or seminars sponsored by foreign government or international government organizations to which the Philippine Government is committed or invited to send representatives or participants;

b) To attend conferences or seminars sponsored by private organizations, whether international or not, invitations to which have been sent through their respective governments to the Philippine Government;

c) To conduct agri-business promotion, examinations or investigations of Philippine Government agencies or affairs; and

d) To undertake any other official mission which cannot be assigned to any other Philippine government official/s already abroad;

3. Amendment of Travel Authority

- Request letter for amendment signed by the Head of Office;

- Copy of notice of postponement/change of date and venue from the organizer, flight configurations, and any other reasons that affects the original authority; and

- Copy of the original Travel Authority.

4. Extension of validity of official passport (Degree Courses)

- Request letter of extension signed by the Head of Office;

- Notice of extension from the school registrar;

- Xerox copy of official passport; and

- Copy of the original Travel Authority.

5. Entitlements

- Request letter to claim representation allowance as head of the delegation addressed to the Office of the President, Malacañang to be signed by the Secretary. No representation allowance will be granted to official who will travel abroad for speaking engagement and for training/study and shall in no case exceed One Thousand US Dollars (US$1,000.00) per travel.

- Airfare shall be limited to restricted economy class if not provided by the host organization except for long-haul travel, flight beyond four (4) hours (O.P. MC. 7, S. of 2010). HEITAD

- Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) to cover accommodation, meals and incidental expenses shall be based on the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Index Rates. The DSA rates are specified by UNDP, issued monthly which can be obtained on the internet (O.P. MC. 7, S. of 2010; EO. 298, S. of 2004).

- Pre-departure expenses in the amount of One Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P1,500.00) to employees and officials who will travel abroad shall be entitled to cover employees and miscellaneous/incidental expenses such as taxi fare, passport photograph, immunization, visa fees, tips, porterage fees, and airport terminal fees (E.O. 248, S. of 1995).

- Insurance shall be allowed reimbursement of premium for accident insurance coverage not exceeding Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00) for the duration of his/her official travel (E.O. 248, Section 19, S. of 1995).

6. Non-entitlements:

- Grant of clothing allowance for all categories of trips is suspended indefinitely (O.P. M.C. 52 dtd. October 2, 2003).

7. Employees and officials are required to submit a travel report detailing its significance/re-entry plan within thirty (30) days upon return (O.P. MC 7, S. of 2010). Travel report shall be addressed to the Secretary and signed by the Head of Office copy furnished DA-HRDD. No issuance of Travel Authority for the succeeding travels unless said report had been submitted prior to the next travel.

8. Private individuals and consultants are not issued Travel Authorities and shall not be entitled to government funding when they go abroad (O.P. MC 7, S. of 2010).

9. No government officials and employees including uniformed personnel of DILG and DND may be sent to foreign training, conference or international commitment when they are due to retire within one (1) year after the said foreign travel (GAA C.Y. 2013 Provision under Expenditures, Use of Government Funds).

10. Submission of request letter for issuance of Travel Authority with complete documentation to the Human Resource Development Division should be earlier than the ten (10) working days as prescribed by the Office of the DA Secretary prior to the scheduled departure date.

11. In case of the Heads of Office, the name of the official to be designated as Acting Head or Officer-in-Charge, as the case may be for the duration of the trip, shall be indicated in the request for Travel Authority (O.P. Memo Circular No. 7 dtd. 19 Nov. 2010; O.P. Memo dtd. July 27, 1998). ATICcS

12. A Scholar who will not be able to complete the grant after the extended term/period may continue his/her studies at his/her own time and expense. He/She may file a leave of absence, subject to the approval of his/her Head of Office to enable him/her to complete the grant within six (6) months. Otherwise, the scholar will refund to the sponsoring agency all the expenses defrayed for his/her studies and his/her agency the salaries and allowances he/she received while on study grant. No employee shall be authorized to apply for any study/fellowship grant until after rendering the required service obligation on the previous grant attended (E.O. No. 367, S. of 1989).

13. Non-compliance of the required supporting documents, specific guidelines and procedures shall be sufficient ground for non-processing of the Travel Authority.

14. The DA-Human Resource Development Division (DA-HRDD) shall be responsible for the review on the completeness and veracity of all supporting documents attached to the request and in the preparation of the authority for approval/signature of the Secretary duly coursed through proper channels and releasing thereof of the signed Authority.

The foregoing shall be without prejudice to any subsequent issuances by the Office of the President on foreign travels.

For your guidance and strict compliance.

(SGD.) EMMANUEL F. PIÑOLSecretary