A submarine?

A pre-Garci-tape time travel capsule?

From the breakdown provided by the Office of the President (see below), this amount spent for “transportation” is the biggest expense of the trip. And this is aside from the air fare of US$4,675 from Washington to the Big Apple.

Could luxe limos like the one pictured below cost that much, do you think? I hope the presidential palace reporters ask about this.

What does the item “Filipino community” expenses really mean? A hakot crowd? Filipino community expenses are apart from the US$42,500 spent on “representation” expenses in Washington. Notice, too, that “representation” disappears as an expense in New York.

Why bring a planeload of people to New York, the 8th most expensive city in the world according to the just-released Mercer’s 2009 Worldwide Cost of Living survey? The retinue spent more in two days there ( US$396,099.00) than three days in Washington (US$371,855.98), which was the real object of the trip.

Two days at NY’s Waldorf Astoria (US$94,576.93)

was costlier than three days at Willard Hotel (US$70,879.78).

Has the First Family been luxury hotel addicts all these years?
_____________________________________________________________________

July 29-August 5
Expenses of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s stay in Washington and New York

Washington (3 days) ;/ New York (two days)
hotel US$70,879.78 / US$94,576.93
air fare US$2,508.70 / US$4,675.60
transportation US$82,824.00 / US$182,957.50
Filipino community US$79,720.22 / US$33,714.33
equipment rental US$8,775.00 / US45,909.00
Embassy expenses: /NEW YORK US$41,092.07
RP-US Friendship caucus US$5,178.42 / NONE IN NEW YORK
Stakeholders Tour US$7,164.66 / NONE IN NEW YORK
Secretariat supplies US$6,305.00 / US$14,173.57
representation US$42,500.00 / NONE IN NEW YORK
gratuities* US$66,000.00 ; US$59,000.00
______________ ______________

Total Washington – three days – US$371,855.98 (P48.47 per US$1)= P18,023,859.35
Total New York – two days – US396,099.00 (P48.47 per US$1) = P19,198.918.53

(NOTE: The *gratuities are the tips for services rendered by bellboys, hotel chamber maids, security convoy escorts and a butler that your taxes so generously paid for.)

To view the document, released by Susanna Vargas, the deputy executive secretary for administration and finance, which is the basis of this piece, please go to http://www.gmanews.tv/story/170245/arroyo-party-gave-away-p6m-in-tips-during-six-day-us-stay