Senator Erwin Tulfo has filed a bill seeking to abolish the travel tax, which he said restricts Filipinos’ right to travel freely.
Under Senate Bill No. 1409, Tulfo aims to remove the decades-old levy in line with the Philippines’ commitment to the 2002 ASEAN Tourism Agreement.
“Almost fourteen years have passed since the Philippines signed the ASEAN Tourism Agreement, yet we continue to impose a travel tax,” the senator lamented.
He described the proposal as a concrete step toward making travel fairer, more affordable, and accessible to all Filipinos.
The existing travel tax system was established through several laws allocating revenues among various government agencies. Under Republic Act No. 1478, or the Tourism Board Law, 50 percent of collections go to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.
Republic Act No. 7722, or the Higher Education Act, allocates 40 percent of proceeds to the Commission on Higher Education, while 10 percent goes to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts under Republic Act No. 9593, the Tourism Act of 2009.
“If we truly want to develop the country’s tourism sector and compete with our Southeast Asian neighbors, we need to remove barriers that weaken Filipinos’ ability to travel,” Tulfo said.
Currently, travel tax rates range from P1,620 to P2,700 for economy to first-class passage, with reduced rates between P810 and P1,350. Privileged reduced rates for dependents of overseas Filipino workers range from P300 to P400.
“Filipinos deserve a better travel experience that not only creates lasting memories but also exposes them to different cultures around the world,” Tulfo said.
