by Mindy Aguon

Guam - KUAM News recently sent Freedom of Information Act requests to see how many of our elected officials are traveling on your dime. The Governor's Office and Calvo cabinet members spent $80,000 on travel in the last year, while members of the 31st Guam Legislature spent $53,000 to travel off-island. But during our research, surprisingly it was island mayors who were racking in the frequent flier miles, spending $91,000 last fiscal year and already $81,000 this fiscal year.

Island mayors recently appeared before lawmakers, seeking $12 million in their budget for Fiscal Year 2013. They're asking for additional funding to hire more staff and pay for increases in utility and insurance costs and more.

While they're asking for money, island mayors have spent more than $173,000 in just the last two years alone on travel. According to documents provided to KUAM News for travel conducted in the last two years, island mayors and Mayors Council of Guam staff took 111 trips since November 2010.

While almost every island mayor took at least one trip off-island, we'll take a closer look at the frequent fliers.

Asan-Maina Mayor Vicente San Nicolas took the most trips of any island mayor in the last two years, logging in a December 2010 trip to Rota, a November 2011 trip to Saipan and numerous trips to the Philippines. San Nicolas traveled to the Philippines in December 2010, February, June September, and December of 2011 as well as January, February, March, and April of this year.
Merizo Mayor Ernest Chargualaf was the second biggest traveler going to Rota and the PI in November and December of 2010 and taking trips to the Philippines in January, February, march, June, and December 2011 and February and April of this year.
Barrigada Mayor Jessie Palican took 7 trips off-island traveling to Rota, Saipan, and the Philippines, as well.
Santa Rita Mayor Dale Alvarez took 7 trips off-island traveling to Rota in November 2010, the PI in February and June of 2011, Japan and Saipan in November of last year and to the Philippines in February and March of this year.
Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares traveled to Rota, Saipan, the PI and Florida, taking six trips off-island since November 2010.
Mayors Council of Guam executive director Angel Sablan took the most trips becoming a frequent flyer, traveling to Rota in November 2010, the Philippines in December of 2010, the Philippines in February 2011, Rota the following month, the Philippines in April, Saipan and the Philippines in May, the Philippines in June, and September, Japan in November 2011, Saipan later that month, and the Philippines again in December 2011, January, February and March.

Sablan explained why he spent so much time traveling, saying, "For me in my position of course I travel at the request of the mayor, and so whenever different mayors go off-island and they ask me to come along to staff them then of course they fund the trip and I go along as their staff."

Sablan says the majority of the trips to the Philippines are a result of sister city relationships with villages. When asked what goes on during these trips, he responded, "Basically when the mayors do invite, they have their annual fiestas or annual festivals they invite and make us part of the program there. They make the mayors and myself become parts of the programs."

Sablan maintains the trips are fruitful and beneficial allowing island mayors to bring the best practices in the Philippines back home such as recycling, cultural exchange and energy savings programs.

The sources of funding used to pay for the mayors' travel comes from the General Fund - more specifically from money designated for street maintenance and beautification projects, mayors operations, or even carry over funds. "When the mayors do invite, it's not just to party, it's something serious," Sablan clarified.

For those who are critical of the frequent flying, the executive director says, "Be a mayor and find out for yourself. It's not a paid vacation. It may seem to be that way.

"The mayors of the Philippines don't drive. They're escorted with 24-hour guards. They live a good life, but our mayors here show the mayors there that you don't have to be that way, just be a down, simple, humble person and still be a mayor and serve the people. They don't go there to have fun, they go there to show the people there that you can be this person, this mayor, this vice-mayor, but you don't have to get all those perks," he stated.