Sandro Marcos files bill to abolish travel tax

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February 4, 2026 | 12:07pm

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential son and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos has filed a bill seeking to abolish the travel tax, arguing that it no longer serves its purpose and instead burdens Filipino families and slows tourism growth.

In a statement on Wednesday, February 4, Marcos said the travel tax prevents Filipino families from allocating their limited resources to basic needs or simply traveling to pursue work, meet relatives and take on other opportunities. 

"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. 

Marcos said Presidential Decree 1183, enforced under his grandfather, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., should be repealed, together with the amended Tourism Act of 2009, to eliminate the fixed travel taxes imposed on Filipino travelers.

He also explained that the travel tax disregards the 2022 ASEAN Tourism Agreement, under which member states committed to phasing out travel levies and taxes to promote inter-ASEAN travel.

"A tax that discourages travel also discourages growth. If our neighbors are opening doors and reducing barriers, we should not be holding on to policies that place us at a disadvantage," he added.

The majority leader said government programs "should be sustained through transparent budgeting, not through charges that disproportionately affect travelers," arguing that funding them through the GAA would provide continuity and remove reliance on travel-related revenues that already discourage Filipinos from pursuing travel opportunities.

The Philippines is the only Southeast Asian country that imposes a travel tax on its citizens, separate from airport and service fees. Filipino travelers leaving the country are charged either P1,620 or P2,700 per person, depending on whether they fly economy or first class.

According to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), proceeds from the travel tax currently fund the following:

• 50% to TIEZA, which oversees infrastructure development and facilitates investments in tourism enterprise zones nationwide.
• 40% to the Commission on Higher Education for tourism-related educational programs
• 10% to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts

"The travel tax collection share of TIEZA fuels the priority tourism projects, activities and programs which is in sync with the Philippine Development Plan and the National Tourism Development Plan," the agency stated on its website. 

Marcos believes that abolishing the tax would encourage both domestic and international travel by Filipinos and thereby "stimulate tourism-dependent sectors" such as hotels, transportation services, tour operations, and retail establishments, while also expanding job creation and cultural exchange.

"Travel is not a luxury for many Filipinos. It is part of how families stay connected and how workers sustain their livelihoods," he added.

The bill was filed at a time when Filipinos strongly criticized the government for urging the public to travel locally when domestic trips had actually become more expensive than traveling abroad.