Ched Rick Gatchalian

Davao City 1st District Rep.  Paolo "Pulong" Z. Duterte  attends the opening session of the 20th Congress at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Rep. Duterte revises travel clearance request, reduces destination countries to 2

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176595753536420250728-20th-congress-paolo-duterte-JC0030.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Davao City 1st District Rep.  Paolo &quot;Pulong&quot; Z. Duterte  attends the opening session of the 20th Congress at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025. <em> Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte has revised his request for travel clearance from the House of Representatives, reducing the travel period to less than a month, and the destinations to just two from the previous 17.</p><p>Office of the Secretary General Executive Director Jose Marmoi Salonga said under the revised request, the new travel period is from January 3, 2026 to January 30, 2026, and the destinations are Netherlands and Australia.</p><p>Duterte initially requested clearance from the House to travel to 17 destinations from December 15, 2025 to February 20, 2026.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/10/paolo-duterte-s-planned-17-country-tour-raises-questions-from-colleagues-1921">Paolo Duterte&#x27;s planned 17-country tour raises questions from colleagues</a></div><p>“The House sent a letter to Representative Duterte requesting additional details and a revised submission to facilitate proper evaluation, given the overlap with official session days,” Salonga said in a statement.</p><p>“He then submitted a revised request dated December 15, 2025, seeking clearance for travel from January 3 to January 30, 2026, to the Netherlands and Australia. The stated purpose includes visiting former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, currently detained in The Hague, and visiting the Representative’s daughter studying in Australia,” he added.</p><p>Salonga said the revised request is “under evaluation.&quot;</p><p>“The revised request is currently under evaluation in accordance with House rules and administrative procedures, considering institutional requirements and official session schedules,” he explained. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/9/paolo-duterte-seeks-clearance-to-travel-to-17-countries-1701">Paolo Duterte seeks clearance to travel to 17 countries</a> </div><div><br/></div><div><strong>REP. DUTERTE CRITICIZES AICS FUND ALLOCATION IN BICAM</strong></div><p>In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Duterte criticized the lawmakers&#x27; decision to increase the budget for Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) during bicameral conference committee hearing, saying the P63.9 billion allocation will only be used as a &quot;political weapon.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Hindi puwedeng habang may ₱1 trillion na hindi pa napapanagot, may bagong ₱63.9 billion na ibinubuhos na parang walang bukas. The Filipino people are not stupid. Kita na nila ang pattern. Nawala nga ang pondo sa flood control, nilipat nman sa AICS na ginagawang political weapon ng mga kaalyado ng palasyo&quot; he wrote.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/17/aics-gets-p63-b-budget-higher-than-nep-s-p27-b-proposal-0700">AICS gets P63-B budget, higher than NEP&#x27;s P27-B proposal</a></div><p>This, after Senator Erwin Tulfo, former Social Welfare and Development secretary, moved to adopt the House proposal for the AICS budget. The program&#x27;s funding was cut down by Senate due to concerns that it is being used for politicking.</p><p>House Appropriations Committee chairperson Mika Suansing said Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian requested an additional P43 billion for AICS, but the House only greenlighted P32 billion due to limited fiscal space.</p><p>Duterte implied that the budget for programs like AICS do not directly serve the Filipinos, stating: &quot;Buti lang sana kung napupunta lahat sa ating mga kababayan, ang masama pa eh sa experience natin on the ground ay sobra sa kalahati pa ang nawawala sa orihinal na pinangako na matatanggap ng taumbayan.&quot;</p><p>He also seemingly quoted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s famous remark from his recent SONA.</p><p>&quot;Enough. Ika nga ng isang bangag, MAHIYA NAMAN KAYO!!! Ang pera ng bayan ay hindi walang katapusang balon para sa inyong kapritso.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PALACE HITS BACK AT PULONG</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the Palace issued a reminder for lawmakers to &quot;get back to work&quot; and craft beneficial laws to Filipinos, following adjustments on Duterte&#x27;s travel clearance request.</p><p>&quot;Para umanlad ang bansa, magtrabaho tayong lahat. Ang mga mambabatas ay obligadong gumawa ng magagandang batas para sa bayan at mamamayan,&quot;  Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a statement.</p><p>Castro also stressed that vacations in &quot;world tour&quot; style may only serve as a tool for a politician to evade the issues thrown to him.</p><p>&quot;Kapag puro bakasyon at world tour ang  gagawin ng isang public servant, wala talaga siyang maiintindihan at wala siyang gagawin kundi iwasan ang isyu ng korapsyon na kinakaharap niya.&quot;</p>

<p>Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte has revised his request for travel clearance from the House of Representatives, reducing the travel period to less than a month, and the destinations to just two from the previous 17.</p>

Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte has revised his request for travel clearance from the House of Representatives, reducing the travel period to less than a month, and the destinations to just two from the previous 17.

From 17 to 2: Rep. Duterte revises travel clearance request, reduces destinations

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From 17 to 2: Rep. Duterte revises travel clearance request, reduces destinations

Vivienne Gulla,

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 17, 2025 04:05 PM PHT

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Updated Dec 17, 2025 09:22 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

Paolo Duterte

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