“It’s going to be painful and it hurts the concerned individuals,” he added.
Under the new rule, government employees must pay 50 percent of official travel costs but will be reimbursed “in the future.”
Mendiola said it is their responsibility to accommodate the official travels of Rota government employees.
“I am very mindful of their financial situation and this is something that I pray can be answered very soon,” he added.
He said there are “very important and essential” off-island activities that Rota government employees need to attend “to gather new ideas.”
The new travel regulation, he added, will “really affect” off-island activities.
According to Mendiola, he has already told municipal officials and employees that all their off-island travels should be justified.
“Anything that I see beneficial I will do within my capacity to push through,” he said, when asked if the municipal government has sufficient budget for off-island travels.
But he said they will have “to make a little sacrifice,” adding that the island’s crisis will soon end, referring to Rota’s fledging casino industry and the military buildup on Guam.
