A senator has filed a bill abolishing the travel tax, arguing that the levy hinders the right to travel for Filipinos. Senate Bill (SB) 1409 proposed by Senator Erwin T. Tulfo seeks to remove the travel tax, citing an agreement the Philippines signed up for in 2002.
‘Nearly fourteen years since the Philippines signed the Asean Tourism Agreement, we still impose this travel tax,’ Tulfo said.
He said his proposed measure is a ‘concrete step toward ensuring that travel becomes more equitable, accessible, and reasonably priced for Filipinos.’
The current collection of the travel tax, however, is based on several laws. Republic Act (RA) 1478 (Tourism Board Law) allots 50 percent of the collections to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority Board of Travel and Tourist. Other laws are RA 7722 (Higher Education Act), which allots 40 percent of the revenue to the Commission on Higher Education, and, RA 9593 (Tourism Act of 2009), which allots the remaining 10 percent of the collections to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Currently, travel tax rates for economy to first-class passage range from P1,620 to P2,700. The ‘Standard Reduced’ rates are P810 to P1,350, while ‘Privileged Reduced’ rates for dependents of Overseas Filipino Workers are P300 to P400.
‘If we really want to improve the country’s tourism sector and be at par with our neighboring Southeast Asian countries, we have to remove these barriers that disempower Filipinos to travel,’ Tulfo remarked.
‘Filipinos deserve a better travel experience that could render not only good memories but also better expose them to various cultures around the world,’ he added.