MARCH 17, 2026 — The House has finally scrapped the decades-old travel tax, a move that could reshape how Filipinos view flying — not as a luxury, but as a necessity. With 257 lawmakers voting in favor of House Bill 8464, the Travel Tax Abolition Act, the Philippines is catching up with ASEAN neighbors who long ago removed similar levies.

For years, the travel tax was a quiet burden tucked into every international ticket. It was born under Presidential Decree No. 1183 and reinforced by the Tourism Act of 2009, a relic of a time when flying was seen as a privilege of the wealthy. 

But as House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos put it, “The travel tax belongs to a different era, when flying was mostly seen as a privilege for an opulent few.” 

Today, many Filipinos travel because they have to, for business, for family, for school, or to seize livelihood opportunities, and the government should not keep treating that necessity as if it were still a luxury.

Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona, sponsor of the bill, framed it as more than just cheaper tickets. 

“The proposed abolition of travel tax is but a timely initiative that will not only reduce travel costs, but will also stimulate tourism-dependent sectors and encourage our countrymen to travel, thereby fostering economic opportunities and cultural exchange,” he said.

This isn’t just about saving a few pesos at the airport counter. It’s about unlocking mobility — for OFWs who fly out to support families, for students chasing education abroad, for small entrepreneurs seeking markets, and for balikbayans who want to reconnect without feeling penalized.

Catching up with ASEAN

Madrona also reminded us that the Philippines has been a regional outlier. 

“In the span of almost two decades after its enactment, the Philippines became a signatory to the ASEAN Tourism Agreement, which sought the removal of travel tax among Member States to facilitate travel, which consequently renders the country as a regional outlier after most of the Member States have eliminated travel-related levies,” he explained. 

So while our neighbors have long embraced freer skies, we’ve been clinging to a tax that discouraged mobility and made us less competitive in tourism.

This bill’s passage is a rare moment where Congress actually lightens the load for us. After decades of carrying this outdated levy, do you agree it’s about time the government cut the chains and let Filipinos travel free?

(Image: Philippine Information Agency)