Some travel agencies not honoring govt travel requests

An unpleasant surprise awaited Senate minority leader Pete Reyes when he tried to make travel arrangements for the upcoming general assembly of the Association of Pacific Islands Legislatures on Guam that begins this Sunday.

When his staff called a travel agency to arrange his plane ticket, they found out that the company has ceased accepting government travel requests issued by the Department of Finance.

This prompted Reyes to raise the alarm over Finance’s ability to fulfill its financial obligations arising from official government travel, saying that the situation hampers legislative work.

“We called the agency and they told us [that] they won’t book us anymore,” Reyes said. “Legislators can’t travel anymore.”

It was not immediately known as to which travel agencies are refusing GTRs, as some refuse to confirm their stance on government travel.

Besides Pacific Sky Travel Services, the agency that Reyes had contacted to make travel arrangements for him, another travel agency that requested that it not be identified also confirmed yesterday it is not accepting GTRs. Pacific Sky said it has not been accepting GTRs since last week.

“We’re not accepting it right now,” said Pacific Sky manager Tona Ierome. Since last week, she said the company has refused travel arrangements for more than 10 government officials and staff.

Ierome said the government has reached its credit limit for its travel account, but added that it is not delinquent, having been able to pay past obligations. She said, though, that Pacific Sky would resume honoring GTRs when the government fully settles the account.

For Reyes’ part, he said he requested the Finance Department to advance cash that he would use to pay the cost of travel for the APIL assembly. He complained, though, that Finance has not been returning his calls to inquire about his GTR problem.

The department’s Finance and Accounting division’s Vernie Palacios said she was not aware of any problem with GTRs as of yesterday. Finance Secretary Bob Schrack was unavailable for interview as of press time.

House Rep. Norman Palacios, who is supposed to attend the APIL assembly as part of the CNMI delegation, said he has heard about some travel agencies refusing to accept GTRs. Palacios said, however, that he would not be going to Guam for the APIL meeting for personal reasons.

Other lawmakers who are part of the CNMI delegation include House Vice Speaker Timothy P. Villagomez, the APIL president; and Reps. Martin Ada, Jesus Attao, Claudio Norita, Oscar Babauta, Jesus Lizama, Janet Maratita and Justo Quitugua.

House leadership spokesperson Charles Reyes Jr. said he has not heard of any problem about non-acceptance of GTRs by some travel agencies. A staff of Villagomez said the vice speaker’s travel costs would be shouldered by APIL.

The APIL assembly is slated from July 18 to 20 at the Hotel Santa Fe on Guam. APIL is a regional group composed of Pacific lawmakers from 12 governments such as the CNMI, Guam, American Samoa, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap, Marshall Islands, Palau, Hawaii, Nauru and Kiribati. The group meets regularly to address diverse regional issues through collective efforts.