MALACAÑANG on Tuesday said it has lifted its ban on “official trips” to Canada.

This decision comes after the shipment of all 69 waste containers back to Canada last week.

“It’s lifted,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo told BusinessWorld in a phone message when asked regarding the status of the memorandum issued on May 20 by Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea prohibiting government officials from going on official trips to Canada.

Mr. Medialdea issued the memorandum after the Canadian government failed to meet President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s May 15 deadline to ship out its garbage dumped in the Philippines about five years ago.

In his statement on May 26, Mr. Panelo said the memorandum also “directed heads of government agencies to reduce official interaction with representatives of the Canadian government.”

He said the President was “upset about the inordinate delay of Canada in shipping back its containers of garbage.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

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