Photo courtesy of Cong. Miro Quimbo/Facebook
Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo urged the House to abolish the travel tax, saying the measure could generate as much as Php 22 billion in additional annual revenue—far exceeding the estimated Php 7.5 billion in lost collections.
Quimbo made the call while House Bill No. 7443, which proposes scrapping the current Php 1,620 fee for economy-class passengers and Php 2,700 for first-class travelers, gains traction among lawmakers and travel industry groups.
He said the expected gains come from increased income tax collections, as more Filipinos would travel, boosting earnings for airlines and travel agencies. Quimbo described the proposal as “a no brainer.”
Lower fares, he added, could reduce ticket costs by roughly 20 percent for popular destinations, allowing more people to travel and stimulating the tourism sector.
The lawmaker noted that the Philippines remains the only member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that still imposes a tax on outbound travelers, calling the levy a hindrance to mobility for ordinary citizens.
Quimbo explained that the travel tax was originally imposed during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., when overseas travel was largely limited to the wealthy, making it outdated in today’s context where international travel is accessible to many.
He said the House is targeting the passage of the bill before the June recess and expects to transmit it to the Senate within the first regular session.
