House Committee on Tourism vice chair Gil Acosta of Palawan on Saturday called for a congressional review of how travel tax collections have been used and how these have affected tourism development, particularly in the provinces.
Acosta said Congress should review where travel tax collections went, especially during the pre-pandemic period. He noted that from 2020 to 2023, collections were minimal due to limited outbound travel, making it necessary to determine whether the funds were properly used, where they were spent, and what impact they had on the tourism industry.
He made the remarks during the Saturday Media Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City in response to a question on the need for a congressional inquiry into the use of travel tax proceeds.
Acosta said travel tax collections average P4 billion to P5 billion annually, with proceeds shared among the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the Commission on Higher Education and the cultural sector.
He said the proposed inquiry should cover both pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods to assess whether the funds were properly spent and whether they resulted in tangible improvements in the tourism sector.
Acosta added that the issue also highlights the need for closer inter-agency coordination, citing delays and bottlenecks in infrastructure projects.
He pointed out that some projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways are stalled due to the lack of an Environmental Compliance Certificate, stressing that such requirements should be secured before projects are proposed and implemented.
“These are the issues that Congress needs to look into. This is a broad concern that warrants congressional attention,” Acosta said.
While acknowledging the efforts of the Department of Tourism, Acosta said he could only speak for his province, noting that Palawan has two tourism comfort room facilities, one in the north and one in the south, which he described as good but limited in number.
He stressed that infrastructure support remains insufficient for a province consistently promoted as a top island destination.
Acosta said significant investment is needed, citing the long travel time between Puerto Princesa and El Nido, which can take nearly four hours, or up to five hours under heavy traffic.
He said the gap between Palawan’s tourism potential and the current state of its facilities underscores the need to reassess how travel tax funds are allocated and whether they are reaching destinations that need them most.
Acosta said the House Committee on Tourism plans to closely examine these concerns to ensure that revenues collected for tourism genuinely support infrastructure, accessibility and long-term industry growth.
He added that several measures are pending before the committee, including House Bill 7443 filed by House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos, which seeks the immediate abolition of the travel tax.
Under HB 7443, the travel tax imposed under Presidential Decree 1183 and related provisions of the Tourism Act of 2009 would be repealed, ending the collection of fees that currently reach P2,700 for first-class passengers and P1,620 for economy travelers.
Marcos earlier said the levy has outlived its purpose and now works against economic recovery, mobility and regional competitiveness.
