The Bureau of Immigration has issued new rules for traveling local government officials and employees.
In a statement on Tuesday, August 1, the Bureau of Immigration said officials and employees of the local government units planning to take vacations abroad are no longer required to present to the immigration officers at airports, the authority to travel from their department heads.
Instead, they would only need to show a copy of their approved leave application to the immigration officer.
However, the new policy does not apply to certain elective officials as they still have to secure a travel authority from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
However, as for city and municipal mayors, vice mayors, provincial vice governors, and city and municipal councilors who travel abroad, an approved leave application will suffice if the duration of the leave of absence of said officials is less than three months.
But if it will be for more than three months, the immigration said they are still required to secure a travel authority from the DILG undersecretary for local government.
