Are you planning to travel abroad? A newly filed bill could make your future trips more budget-friendly if passed.
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On February 4, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos filed a bill seeking the “immediate abolition” of the travel tax, citing that the levy no longer serves its original purpose and instead hinders the country’s economic recovery.
“[The travel tax] has become an added cost that restricts mobility and weighs heavily on ordinary Filipinos who simply want to travel for work, family, or opportunity,” Marcos said in a news release, as reported by the Philippine News Agency.
House Bill (HB) No. 7443 also responds to the growing financial burden on Filipinos traveling abroad, whether for work or leisure. If enacted, the measure would end the collection of the travel tax imposed under Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1183 and related provisions of the Tourism Act of 2009, which currently require travelers to pay ₱1,620 for economy class and ₱2,700 for first-class passengers.
According to Marcos, these fixed charges quickly add up and could instead be allocated to essential needs or contribute to local economic activity.
“When travel becomes more expensive, fewer people move, fewer people spend, and fewer opportunities circulate through the economy. Lowering the cost of travel allows Filipino families to allocate their money where it matters most,” he added.
In November 2025, Senator Erwin Tulfo also pushed for the removal of the travel tax through Senate Bill No. 1409., citing the ASEAN Tourism Agreement signed in 2002, which encourages the elimination of travel levies among ASEAN member countries.
Currently, travel tax collections are divided among three agencies: 50% goes to Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), 40% to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and 10% to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
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