EDITORIAL - Still globetrotting

The top contenders in the presidential race are promising to save precious public funds by limiting their foreign travels, in case they win, to only the most necessary, such as leaders’ summits. That means an average of three foreign trips every year: two summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the annual leaders’ costume party of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Whoever wins will be held to his promise, at least until the country’s financial situation improves. It will be a marked contrast to the attitude of the incumbent, who in her nine and a half years has indulged her travel bug at every opportunity, at a cost of billions.

For what taxpayers can only hope would be the final phase of her globetrotting, Malacañang announced the other day that President Arroyo would go to Hanoi on April 18 for the first of two ASEAN leaders’ summits this year. She would also attend the Nuclear Security Summit on April 12 to 13 in Washington. Palace officials said about 40 heads of state are expected to attend the gathering, which would give the President a chance to “pull aside” the host, US President Barack Obama, for chit-chat and a possible photo op. The Philippines heads the review conference, upcoming in May, of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It was not clear if President Arroyo would proceed to Hanoi from Washington or return to Manila first.

At the end of April, the President intended to visit Spain again, for reasons that were not specified by Palace officials.

In this global village, foreign trips are unavoidable for world leaders. Despite advances in information and communications technology, there is still no substitute for face-to-face meetings particularly with counterparts.

But it is possible to exercise prudence in spending public funds for such trips. The President is notorious for her large retinue of hangers-on, mostly congressional allies who like to travel and dine first class using public funds. The retinue is always largest in her pilgrimages to Washington, even if there is little chance for them to have a photo with the American president. Will the forthcoming visit be any different?

President Arroyo has also been criticized by that other world traveler, Fidel Ramos, for badly planned and therefore more expensive flight itineraries. It’s too late to urge the President to use precious public funds judiciously. It will be up to her successor to lead by example in the prudent utilization of taxpayers’ money.