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Issuance of Certificate for Foreign Travel Authority of Local Government Officials and Employees

Any local government official or employee who intends to travel abroad whether on government time only, on official business or for personal reason(s) shall first secure a travel authority at least seven (7) calendar days prior to the actual departure date from the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government if requests are from the:

Provincial Governors, Mayors of Highly Urbanized Cities and Independent Component Cities, regardless of the nature and duration of such travel;

Mayor of Component City and Municipality, Vice Governor, Vice Mayor, Member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Panlungsod and Bayan, and Barangay Elective Official, including Sangguniang Kabataan, on official time only, or on official business, or when the duration of leave of absence exceeds more than three (3) calendar months, during a period of emergency or crisis;

Local Government Department Head, on official time, or on official business, or when the duration of leave of absence exceeds three (3) calendar months or during a period of emergency or crisis; and

Local Government Employee, on official time only, or on official business.

Nature of Travel

A. Official Trip

As defined in Section 3 (a) of Executive Order No. 77, s. 2019, these are official foreign travels and assignments which meet the following criteria:

it is essential to the effective performance of an official or employee's mandates or functions
it is required to meet the needs of the department, agency, bureau or office, or there is substantial benefit to be derived by the state
the presence of the official or employee is critical to the outcome of the meeting, conference, seminar, consultation or any official activity to be attended
the projected expenses are not excessive or involve minimum expenditure.

Official trip is further classified as follows:

International Conferences or meetings - which the Philippine Government has commitments or to undertake official missions/assignments which cannot be assigned to government officials posted abroad
Scholarships, fellowships, trainings, and studies abroad which are grant-funded or undertaken at minimal cost to NGAs, including SUCs, GOCCs, GFIs, and LGUs
Invitations for speaking engagements or receving of awards from foreign governments/institutions or internation agencies/organizations as defined under international law, whether fully or partially funded by the government, upon endorsement of the DFA

B. Unofficial Trip

Refers to a foreign trip pursued for a personal or private purpose such as medical reason, emergency, and/or a special occasion and all those not covered by the definition of official trips

Filling of Application for Foreign Travel Authority

To allow the efficient and systematic evaluation and processing of requests, in accordance with the requirements of Quality Management System-International Organization for Standardization (QMS-ISO) on QP-DILG-BLGS-RO-03 and in compliance with Section 9 (b) (1) of Republic Act No. 11032 or the Anti-Red Tape Act (RTA) on Ease of Doing Business, the application for Travel Authority, complete with all the required documents is to be filed at least seven (7) working days, both for official and personal or private purpose, prior to the date of departure, thru the Foreign Travel Authority (FTA) On-Line System (version 3.0) at www.fta.dilg.gov.ph.

How to apply for Foreign Travel Authority

The user must follow the steps below to apply for an FTA.

Prepare all the required documents.
Go to www.fta.dilg.gov.ph using any internet browser.
Click the HOW TO APPLY Button and read the instructions.
If all the documents are ready, click the “CLICK HERE TO APPLY” button.
Click “Add Information” and enter all the required information, and upload all the required documents (in PDF format only). All mandatory fields (with asterisk*) shall be filled-up.
Ensure that all registered information is true and correct.
Once all necessary fields are completed/accomplished, click the SUBMIT APPLICATION button.
The system will automatically generate the APPLICATION NUMBER and a QR Code. The applicant is advised to take note of the said number and QR Code, as the same will serve as reference in checking the status of his/her/their request.
The DILG FTA Team will evaluate and process the said request, and endorse the same to the appropriate approving authority.

How to check the Status of your FTA Request

If the user has already applied for an FTA and wishes to know the status of the application, follow the steps below:

Go to the FTA online system landing page.
Click the “Follow-up” button.
Type in the ACN on the field provided and click “Search”. The user will be redirected to the page containing updates on his/her/their application.

Approving Authority of Foreign Travel Authority

On the Foreign Travel of LCEs Before, During, and After Emergencies, Crisis, and/or Disaster

Pursuant to Section 11(a), Section 12(c) of Republic Act No. 10121 or 'Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010;" Sectuib 1(c), Section 1(d) and Section 3 of Executive Order No. 773, s. 2009, "Further Reorganizing the Peace and Order Council;" and the Operation Listo Manual, all LCEs, as head of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Peace and Order Council, are highly encouraged to remain in their respective areas of jurisdiction to personally lead and manage the said councils and implement the necessary measures to address issues arising from emergencies, crisis, and/or disaster.

Repealing Clause

This issuance repeals and supersedes DILG Memorandum Circular 2022-134 and other issuances inconsistent herewith

Administrative Requirements

Basic Documents on all Travel Categories

A duly notarized affidavit attesting that no administrative charge or criminal case has been filed or is pending against the applicant, or Oath of Undertaking, when the applicant has a pending case, and
A duly accomplished Clearance from Money and Property Accountabilities (CSC Form No. 07 Revised 2018)

Additional Documents Per Travel Category

Official Trips

Invitation Letter from the host country or sponsoring agency or Acceptance Letter from CHED, TESDA, LGA, organizer, or donor, etc.;
Copy or draft of the Memorandum of Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding between the LGU concerned and the LGU abroad (travel relating to Sister City or LG Technical Exchange Coorporation), if applicable.
CapDev Agenda or Program Itinerary, if Applicable; and
DFA Clearance for clients travelling to Taiwan.
Written Permission (e.g. Endorsement, Travel Order) from LCE .

Unofficial Trips

For Governors, Mayors of Highly Urbanized Cities and Independent Component Cities, Mayor of Pateros

1. Duly accomplished Application for Leave (Civil Service Form No. 6, Revised 2020)

Other Elected Officials when the period of travel extends to more than three(3) months or during periods of emergency or crisis

1. Duly accomplished and approved Leave of Absence (Civil Service Form No. 6, Revised 2020)

Note: The Department shall not be precluded from requesting other additional documents, as may be necessary, for the approval of travel authority request

IMPORTANT: Guidelines on One-China Policy

As an important pillar of the Philippine relations with China, every local official or employee shall strictly observe the One-China Policy mandated in Presidential Executive No. 313, s. 1987, office of the President Memorandum Circular No. 148, s. 1992, and as Reiterated in DILG MC No. 2008-150, s. 2008:

For official trips to Taiwan - officials shall secure an approval from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and inform the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in the said country before applying for FTA with this department.
For unofficial trips to Taiwan - officials must inform the DFA and the MECO in the said country of their travel.
All officials who have concluded trips to Taiwan shall submit a report to the DFA containing the details of said travel.
All officials traveling to said country shall not use their official passports (red passports), pursuant to section 7 of RA 8239 in relation to EO 313 further, city/municipal mayors whose leave of absences are not acted upon by the provincial governor may secure their travel authority to be approved by the secretary in such cases, a duly notarized sworn statement with other documentary requirements shall be submitted.
Further, no agreements, memoranda of understanding, exchange of notes, or similar documents shall be concluded with any Taiwanese organization/agency, unless the text thereof has first been cleared with the DFA and the authority to sign has been secured from the Office of the President.

Guidelines for undertaking Foreign Benchmarking Activities

Pursuant to DILG MC No. 2022-147, one of the prerequisites to support requests for official travel, such as benchmarking activities, is an invitation letter from the host country or sponsoring agency. Be apprised that in this context, the host country refers to the government of the country the LGU intends to visit, while the sponsoring agency may be a private entity acting as the proponent.

Additional documents are required to submit to form part of the requirement for the following activities:

LGU Inititative - Study Tour or Benchmarking Purposes
1. CAPDEV Agenda of the LGU concerned (supported by the LGU's annual budget)
2. Training Design
3. Itinerary of Travel or Program of Activities

NGAs Inititative - Study Tour or Benchmarking Purposes
1. Invitation Letter from the NGAs Central Office or Regional Office; and
2. Certification from the NGA Central Office stating that the purpose of the trip is in consonance/in line with their overall program (if the initiative is from Regional Office)

Attendance to LG Technical Exchange Cooperation or Sister City Partnership/ Agreement Activities
1. Invitation Letter from the host country or LGU in abroad; and
2. Copy or draft of the Memorandum of Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding between the LGU concerned and the LGU abroad.

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