Cebu 5th District Representative Duke Frasco clarified that his recent travel to London was an authorized official mission as part of the Philippine delegation to the World Travel Market (WTM), one of the largest and most influential global tourism expositions in the world.
“My travel to London was an authorized official mission as part of the Philippine delegation to the World Travel Market (WTM), one of the largest and most influential global travel and tourism expositions in the world,” Frasco said. “This event provides an important platform for promoting international partnerships, investments, and economic opportunities for our country, particularly in the tourism sector.”
Frasco stressed that his travel was officially approved by the Speaker of the House of Representatives through the Secretary-General, following established procedures for Members of Congress undertaking official missions abroad.
“Although it was an authorized trip, no government funds were used for this travel, as has always been my practice in most of my foreign official travels,” he said.
Frasco shared that he immediately arranged his return to the Philippines upon learning of the situation. “I arrived in London on November 4, and upon learning of the severe flooding that struck parts of Cebu, I immediately made arrangements to return to the Philippines the very next day,” he said. “I secured the earliest available flight on November 5, departed London, and arrived in Cebu on November 6, proceeding directly to Barangay Cotcot, Liloan, to assist in the ongoing relief and coordination efforts with national and local officials.”
He also clarified that the travel authorities of local officials mentioned in the complaint were granted by the Governor of Cebu, who exercises administrative supervision over the province’s local officials. “The authority to cancel such travel likewise rests with the Provincial Government of Cebu,” Frasco explained.
Responding to allegations regarding his supposed “failure to fulfill statutory obligations,” Frasco said such claims are legally misplaced. “As a legislator, my constitutional duties encompass representation, lawmaking, and oversight,” he said. “Yet in times of crisis, I always try to extend whatever support and assistance I can offer to my constituents, to the point of giving personally funded relief, which is what my team immediately mobilized.”
Frasco added that the complaint filed before the Ombudsman was “founded on erroneous assumptions and misrepresentations of fact and law.”
Frasco reaffirmed his ongoing efforts to support affected communities, stating, “In the meantime, I will continue to coordinate with national government agencies to extend every possible assistance to the local government units in their relief, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts for the people of Cebu and the rest of our affected communities.”