Senator Kiko Pangilinan is seeking to abolish the travel tax levied on Filipino tourists traveling abroad, describing the tax as an “economic burden” that hinders the right to travel of those with limited means.
“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,” the explanatory note of Senate Bill No. 1843 said.
“Increased travel activity also strengthens people-to-people exchanges and supports the Philippines’ positioning as a competitive and accessible destination.”
“Increased travel activity also strengthens people-to-people exchanges and supports the Philippines’ positioning as a competitive and accessible destination,” it added.
Pangilinan explained that the current mandatory travel tax—P2,700 for first-class passengers and P1,620 for economy class—adds an extra cost or burden that impacts Filipinos’ right and ability to travel, which is guaranteed under Article III, Section 6 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
“Instead of collecting the travel tax, the current programs it is funding should be charged to the national budget of the DOT and TIEZA.
Instead of collecting the travel tax, the veteran legislator said that the current programs it is funding should be charged to the national budget of the Department of Tourism for the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.
The programs must also receive allocations from the annual appropriations of 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.
If passed, the measure will abolish the travel tax imposed under Presidential Decree No. 1183, as amended, and Section 73 of Republic Act No. 9593, or the Tourism Act of 2009.
