Remembering all the controversies that have hounded the foreign travels of President Arroyo, those currently aspiring to replace her have vowed to reduce the number of foreign trips they will undertake in case they win. Most have vowed to limit their trips to the annual summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum as well as to countries that are willing to shoulder the expenses.
Even state visits, however, entail expenses on the part of the visiting delegation. The host country pays only for the transportation and accommodations of the visiting president and a lean entourage. Officials who are not part of this entourage charge all or part of their expenses to Philippine taxpayers. It is not unusual for businessmen to pick up the tab, which raises questions of propriety when the beneficiary plays a direct role in policies or decisions that affect the businesses of the generous soul. That was one of the issues raised when President Arroyo was criticized for expensive dinners in New York and Washington that she and her entourage enjoyed after her meeting last year with US President Barack Obama. To this day, the identities of those who footed the dinner bills remain unclear.
While President Arroyo was away on her latest trip, this time to the United States and Spain, Malacañang again defended her globetrotting, pointing out that the trips have generated billions of dollars in investments and foreign aid. But decisions in such matters are not made overnight, and are made even without a presidential visit. As critics have also pointed out, the figures trotted out by Malacañang include commitments that have yet to materialize, as well as deals such as the one with ZTE that became bogged down in corruption scandals. Despite the President’s globetrotting in the past nine years, the Philippines now has one of the lowest levels of foreign direct investment in Southeast Asia.
Whoever wins the presidential race in May will have to be far more transparent than President Arroyo, if he wants to win the public trust that is indispensable in achieving his goals in governance. In this global village, heads of government cannot eschew foreign trips altogether. But the next president will have to use public funds judiciously. This includes keeping foreign trips to a minimum, and setting the example that public office is not a ticket to see the world.