Lawmakers have taken a formal step toward removing the travel tax imposed on Filipinos flying abroad.
On Monday, February 23, the House Committee on Tourism approved a bill seeking to abolish the travel tax, citing the need to ease the financial burden on ordinary passengers and strengthen travel competitiveness. The measure would repeal the travel tax imposed under Presidential Decree No. 1183 and the Tourism Act of 2009.
President Bongbong Marcos earlier urged Congress to prioritize the passage of a bill scrapping the levy. A separate proposal filed by House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos argued that rising airport terminal and modernization fees, combined with the travel tax, create financial barriers for the average Filipino traveler.
Under current rules, the full travel tax collected by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority stands at P2,700 for first class passengers and P1,620 for economy class travelers.
The House bill also outlines how agencies currently funded through travel tax collections would continue operating if the levy is removed. It requires the national government to provide funding through the General Appropriations Act to programs previously supported by the tax.
These include tourism development projects under TIEZA, the tourism-related higher education development fund of the Commission on Higher Education(CHED), and the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Supporters of the measure say the travel tax was created in a different economic context and now adds to the cost of travel for Filipinos leaving the country for work, family, or other purposes. More details are expected as the bill moves forward in Congress.
