Good news for Filipino travelers might just be on the horizon. Senator Erwin Tulfo has filed a new bill to abolish the travel tax—a fee many Filipinos have long considered an extra burden when flying abroad.
Photo: NNIC/Facebook
Currently, anyone leaving the country is required to pay a travel tax of ₱1,620 for economy class and ₱2,700 for first class passengers. While some groups, like dependents of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), enjoy reduced rates or exemptions, the fee still adds up for most travelers, especially those planning multiple trips a year.
Under Senate Bill No. 1409, Tulfo is pushing to remove the collection of this tax altogether. He cites the ASEAN Tourism Agreement signed back in 2002, which encourages the removal of travel levies among ASEAN member countries.
“Nearly fourteen years after its signing, such travel taxes continue to be imposed,” Tulfo said. “This measure represents a concrete step toward ensuring that travel becomes more equitable, accessible, and reasonably priced for Filipinos.”
The senator also pointed out that tourism development should be funded by the government, not by individual taxpayers who already contribute through other forms of taxation.
If passed, the bill would prohibit any further collection of travel taxes, and travelers with flights scheduled after the law’s effectivity would be entitled to a refund of any travel tax already paid.
Currently, travel tax collections are divided among three agencies:
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50% goes to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA),
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40% to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and
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10% to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
If the tax is scrapped, Tulfo’s measure states that the necessary funding for these programs will instead be covered under the national budget.
For now, travelers still need to pay the tax before their flights, either online through the TIEZA website or at airport counters. Most airlines already include it in your ticket price, but it’s always worth checking before you fly.
If passed, the bill could make future trips abroad more budget-friendly for Filipino travelers.
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