Wanna travel? MPLA has per diem rate for you

The Marianas Public Lands Authority has established per diem rates not only for U.S. jurisdictions and Asian countries with which the Commonwealth has business relations, but also for such far-flung destinations as Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Adopted by the board of directors on Sept. 6, 2005, MPLA’s travel policy sets specific per diem rates for official trips to 198 destinations throughout the world.

The list of destinations includes various cities in the U.S. mainland and territories, Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific island nations.

In addition, the list contains per diem rates specifically for Niagara Falls, Malta, Tonga, Amsterdam, Geneva, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Panama City, Costa Rica, and Israel.

MPLA’s travel policy states that the per diem schedule was patterned after the rates of the Senate.

However, the Fitial administration has expressed belief that trips to the listed destinations—or travel in general—were not necessary for the MPLA to carry out its functions.

There has been no reported case of any MPLA board member or employee traveling to the latter destinations using public funds. Recent MPLA trips, which cost almost $200,000 in fiscal year 2005 alone, have been to the U.S. mainland, Hawaii, Guam, Asia, and within the Commonwealth.

“There appears no reason for the MPLA board or its officials to go to Europe, or for that matter, to go to the U.S. mainland as they have. The justification for their previous trips is still questionable,” said press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. “MPLA’s primary mission is to collect fees for public lands leases and to remit that money to the Marianas Public Land Trust. There is no need to go off island in order to manage public lands.”

Rates

MPLA’s travel policy shows that the per diem rates range between $175 and $375.

A board member or employee gets a daily allowance of $175 for travels within the Commonwealth and $200 for Guam.

Per diem rates for U.S. trips vary. For instance, the rate is $275 for New Mexico, Alaska, or Idaho; $300 for New York or California; and $375 for Washington, D.C.

Japan cities are also assigned different per diem rates. It is $275 for Narita; $300 for Okinawa; and $375 for Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokushima.

MPLA travelers to Seoul, Bali, Auckland, and Sydney get $300 per day.

The same $300 rate applies to the Philippine cities of Manila, Baguio, and Cebu, where the cost of goods and services is much lower.

The per diem rate for travels to Europe, Canada, and Israel is $275. But for less expensive Bangkok, it is $375.

On top of per diem compensation, MPLA board members and employees may receive up to $35 per day for ground transportation and up to $70 per day for car rental fees.

MPLA travelers may also charge the agency for other expenses such as registration fee for a conference, training or seminar.

Furthermore, MPLA’s travel policy allows travelers to fly business class if the destination requires a flight of five hours or more, one way.