Despite Le Cirque brouhaha, PGMA set to fly again

The controversy has yet to subside over the P37-million spent for the President’s last trip to the US, but President Arroyo is set to fly again in September to Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

The President’s trip to Saudi Arabia is a state visit, with the Saudi government shouldering the cost of the travel of the President’s official party.

Expected to be on the agenda is the welfare of almost one million overseas Filipino workers in the oil-rich kingdom.

In London, meanwhile, the President will appear in a forum organized by The Economist magazine.

The London trip, meanwhile, is a private invitation by the media outfit and is not a State Visit to the United Kingdom, the Office of the President said. The date of her appearance is on or before September 19.

This will be the 7th trip abroad of the President this year.

The Palace has anticipated criticisms this early, justifying the trips the same way as all travels of the President.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo’s trips, whether local or foreign, are all integral to the work of the chief executive.

Proper accounting first

However, Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Teodoro Casiño said the President should postpone her next trip, pending the proper accounting of the controversial US trip.

“Well, pending the proper accounting of the US junket, I think she should postpone her next trip,” Teodoro said.

Should the trip push through, Casiño added, the Palace should disclose an itemized budget before the President leaves to prevent a repeat of the lavish “Le Cirque-like” dinners and other lavish expenses.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Prospero Nograles said no member of the House has yet expressed plans to join these 2 trips.

Nograles, for his part, said he won’t be joining the trips, saying he would be busy with other work at that time.

He also said they won’t be changing any protocol on representatives joining such visits, saying their problems with quorum during House sessions aren’t enough to change the rules now.

• ABS-CBN