A new measure seeking to remove travel taxes imposed on Filipinos traveling overseas has been filed in the Senate, adding to a growing list of proposals aimed at cutting the cost of international travel.
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan filed Senate Bill No. 1843, or the proposed “An Act Abolishing the Travel Tax,” which he said would ease the financial burden on Filipino travelers, especially those with limited resources.
Under current rules, passengers are required to pay a travel tax of P1,620 for economy class flights and P2,700 for first class.
Pangilinan argued that the travel tax has become an “economic burden,” stressing that the 1987 Constitution guarantees the right of Filipinos to travel regardless of their status.
“By lowering the cost of international travel, we expect to stimulate passenger volume, increase spending on transport, accommodation, food, and services, and generate positive spillovers across the economy,” Pangilinan said.
“Increased travel activity also strengthens people-to-people exchanges and supports the Philippines’ positioning as a competitive and accessible destination,” he added.
If enacted into law, the bill would shift the funding of programs currently supported by travel tax collections to regular government allocations. These include funding from the Department of Tourism for the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the Commission on Higher Education for the Higher Education Development Fund, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts.
The measure would also prohibit government agencies and private entities from collecting travel taxes. It further provides that passengers who already paid travel taxes for departures scheduled on or after the law’s effectivity will be entitled to a refund.
Other senators have filed similar versions of the Travel Tax Abolition Act, including Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sen. Joel Villanueva, and Sen. Erwin Tulfo. A counterpart bill was also previously introduced in the House of Representatives by Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos, the son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The travel tax abolition measure is included among the priority proposals of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, and the President expects Congress to pass it by June.
