Pangilinan bill also seeks abolition of travel tax
Another bill seeking to abolish the mandatory travel tax for Filipinos flying overseas has been filed in the Senate.
Filed by Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Senate Bill No. 1843, also known as “An Act Abolishing the Travel Tax,” aims to reduce the expenses for Filipinos going on trips abroad, particularly those with limited means.
The current mandatory travel tax is P1,620 for those flying economy, and P2,700 for those in first-class.
According to Pangilinan, the travel tax is an “economic burden” for Filipinos who have the right to visit other countries, regardless of status, as stated under the 1987 Constitution.
Competitive destination
“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,” Pangilinan said.
“Increased travel activity also strengthens people-to-people exchanges and supports the Philippines’ positioning as a competitive and accessible destination,” he added.
Should the bill be passed into law, the programs supported by travel taxes will instead be funded by the Department of Tourism for Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the Commission on Higher Education for the Higher Education Development Fund, and the National Commission for Culture and Arts for the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts.
Government agencies and private entities will also be prohibited from collecting travel taxes, and passengers who already paid travel taxes for departures scheduled on and after the passage of the bill will get a refund.
Similar bills were filed in the past by Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Joel Villanueva and Erwin Tulfo, while a counterpart measure was lodged recently in the House of Representatives by Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, the President’s son.
The bill, which Mr. Marcos expects to be passed in Congress by June, is also among the priority measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.
Senior rights advocate and lawyer Romulo Macalintal last week expressed his support for the move, calling the travel tax an “outdated burden,” especially for retired seniors who live on fixed incomes.
