MANILA, Philippines — A letter signed by Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo inviting lawmakers to a trip to Iceland and Norway reveals new details that contradict official statements made by the Department of Tourism.

The plan was called off following a STAR report that four lawmakers, four employees of the House of Representatives and five tourism officials were set to fly on July 14 for an eight-day junket to the Scandinavian countries.

The trip, supposedly for the conduct of observation of the two countries' best practices on gender equality, would cost P2.1 million for airfare alone.

The eight-day junket to Iceland and Norway had an estimated budget of P2,156,686 for 13 international economy class airline tickets on the Manila-Iceland-Norway-Manila route, according to a separate document obtained by the STAR.

Following the headlines, the trip was announced to be canceled. DOT Assistant Secretary Francis Alegre then told the Philippine News Agency that the trip was never finalized.

A DOT initiative

In a follow-up STAR report, Alegre was also cited as saying that it was an activity of the House of Representatives. An explanation issued by the DOT to the press also implied that the DOT and the House were planning the trip together.

In an earlier statement, the DOT said the proposed trip to Iceland and Norway "is a legitimate program which is in compliance with the requirements of R.A. 9593 and R.A. 7192 otherwise known as Gender Awareness Development (GAD), and is done in coordination with the House of Representatives."

The letter obtained by Philstar.com, however, revealed that the supposed "coordination" was in inviting lawmakers to go to the Nordic countries.

In the letter, Teo said that the purpose of the trip is "to identify the gaps and inequalities in GAD policy implementation processes which may be addressed through legislation." The trip was also supposed to aid the agency in preparing its DOT-GAD plan for 2019.

"We aim to include applicable and doable transformative programs as we may gather during the undertaking," Teo said. "In this regard, we would like to invite the Honorable Congressman and the other members of the House of Representatives to take part in this undertaking."

Iceland and Norway are ranked first and third in gender equality, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2016. But while the Philippines may have to learn from the two countries, it has already ranked seventh of 144 nations on the list. It was also found to be the top gender equal country in Asia.

Teo aware of the junket

The letter dated June 16, 2017, with Teo's signature, extended the invitation to a trip weeks ahead of the August budget hearing in Congress.

In fact, the invitation was addressed to Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, the panel that handles budget bills.

"We are pleased to inform your good office that the Legislative Liaison Unit of the Department of Tourism, in coordination with the DOT-Gender and Development Committee, is conducting a benchmarking of the best practices implemented by the four leading GAD-responsive countries in the Nordic region," the invite signed by Teo read.

Supposedly joining the trip were representatives Ma. Carmen Zamora of Compostela Valley, Mark Aeron Sambar of the Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta party-list, Paolo Everardo Javier of Antique and Oscar Richard Garin Jr. of Iloilo, according to the STAR.

Zamora is the only member of House committee on women and gender equality. Sambar, meanwhile, is part of the foreign affairs committee, while Javier and Garin who reportedly denied participation were members of the tourism committee.

They were supposed to be joined by House secretariat employees Cecilia de Sahagun, Julieta Apostol, Liza Mijares and Jocelyn Lim.

Tourism employees slated to leave for Norway were development planning director Milagros Say, senior tourism operations officer Ruth Tizon and training and development division officer Jerlie Ganiga.

Another Tourism official whose name was then unavailable was also supposed to be on the trip.

The DOT, meanwhile, has repeatedly denied that Teo was joining the junket.

DOT to shoulder trip expenses

In the invitation to Nograles, Teo noted that the DOT would "provide for the economy and round trip international air tickets and daily substinence and daily allowance" of the members of the House of Representatives.

Participants were also encouraged to secure corresponding travel allowance for the duration of the trip.

Republic Act 9710, or the Magna Carta of Women, mandates that government agencies should allot at least 5 percent of its total budget for gender and development programs, by addressing gender-related issues and concerns. The legislation also aims to help create policies for gender-related aspects of tourism.

The law instructs the DOT and other government agencies to "pursue the adoption of gender mainstreaming as a strategy to promote and fulfill women's human rights and eliminate gender discrimination in their systems, structures, policies, programs and processes." It also calls for the non-discriminatory and non-derogatory portrayal of women in media and film, which could well include promotional tourism materials.

A recent example of GAD activity would be the Intramuros Administration's session in San Juan, Batangas last June 26, where employees of the agency visited various sites including a pottery farm led by women. The Intramuros Administration is an attached agency of the DOT.

The DOT's total new appropriations for 2017 was set at P2.2 billion, 5 percent of which would be around P110 million.

No junkets, says Duterte

The trip was planned despite President Rodrigo Duterte's directive and vow issued as president-elect in June 2016 that his Cabinet members should avoid luxury vehicles and dining as well publicly paid trips.

He reportedly told his Cabinet members to book economy class flights and not to use government funds for junkets.

At her confirmation hearing before the Commission on Appointments last December, Teo was asked by A-Teacher party-list Rep. Julieta Cortuna to reduce her agency's "unnecessary" sponsorship of lawmakers' travel abroad.

She said sponsorship of travels gives an impression that the DOT's trips are incentives for government officials, adding that she is concerned about protecting the public's money.

"I'd like to advise you, those travels have to be reduced but we heard a lot that it's the department sponsoring these trips. They are not necessary. 'Wag masyado travels especially if you're using public funds," Cortuna said.

Teo agreed with Cortuna's suggestion, but went on the defend the department. She said the DOT invites lawmakers recommended by the concerned House committee and by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Davao Oriental Rep. Joel Mayo Almario, meanwhile, said in a previous report that lawmakers are being invited abroad to "appreciate" the DOT's campaigns.

He also said that lawmakers on foreign trips are given first-hand information that help them craft legislation.