The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has launched an investigation into the controversial trip of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials from Manila to Bangkok, Thailand, following heavy criticism that it was a taxpayer-funded junket.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the probe will determine whether public funds were spent on the three-day trip, which gained attention after SK Federation president Councilor Juliana Ibay shared photos of the group’s activities online. “We will investigate what is behind this,” Remulla stressed, adding that Ibay’s decision to post images of boat rides and elephant tours appeared like she was “flaunting on social media.”
Netizens quickly pounced on the posts, with many questioning the supposed purpose of the trip, described as a “capacity development training course and international benchmarking activity.” Critics argued that Thailand has no equivalent youth-led political body, making the benchmarking claim questionable. One comment on Reddit bluntly said, “True capacity development means building concrete skills and institutions, not flying abroad for photo ops. Taxpayer money deserves better.”
In its defense, the Manila SK Federation insisted the event was a legitimate training program conducted with St. Robert’s International College in Thailand, aimed at strengthening youth officials’ capacity to address HIV cases. The group noted that the trip’s design was reviewed and approved by both the DILG and the Manila city government, and that all participants secured proper travel authority.
The federation added that the activities included formal seminars, institutional learning, and planning sessions with Thai organizations, in line with the SK Reform Act’s mandate for continuing leadership training. Out of 896 officials, 667 reportedly joined the program.
An ABS-CBN report revealed that each participant received ₱33,990 to cover airfare, accommodation, and food, along with a daily allowance of ₱6,000—further fueling public outrage.
