19-07-2025
Cayetano seeks bill to abolish travel tax to boost tourism
A bill filed in the Senate seeks to abolish the travel tax, which its author described as outdated and no longer aligned with the country's economic and regional goals.
Senate Bill No. 424, authored by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, proposes the repeal of the travel tax imposed under Presidential Decree No. 1183, signed nearly five decades ago.
'It is high time to give travelers a break and allow for tourism to flourish by removing one of the barriers to travel,' Cayetano said.
The senator said the measure aims to allow all Filipinos, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities, to travel more freely.
He also cited studies estimating that while the government may lose around ₱4 billion in annual revenue, the country could gain up to ₱299 billion through increased tourism and consumer spending.
Cayetano is also proposing to exempt nationals from ASEAN member states from paying the travel tax in line with the Philippines' commitment under the 2002 ASEAN Tourism Agreement, which calls for the phasing out of travel levies among member countries.
