GTBA: Lower to ₱500, Exempt Seniors, PWDs & Students, and Invest in Local Tourism — Abolition Would Cost Our Nation More Than It Saves
MANILA — The Global Tourism Business Association (GTBA) stands firm: the Philippine travel tax should not be abolished — it must be reformed, reduced, and faithfully reinvested in the Filipino people.
Amid growing calls in Congress to repeal the travel tax entirely, GTBA President Michelle Taylan issued this heartfelt call to leaders and citizens alike:
“We ask every lawmaker and every Filipino: before we say ‘remove it,’ let us ask — what are we removing? We are removing ₱4 billion to ₱5 billion annually that by law belongs to our tourism infrastructure, our students, our culture, and our communities.”
WHAT WE PROPOSE — FAIR, SIMPLE, COMPASSIONATE
Instead of abolition, GTBA offers a balanced solution that eases the burden without abandoning progress:
• Reduce the travel tax to a single, fair rate of ₱500 for all — a dramatic drop from the current ₱1,620 (economy) and ₱2,700 (first class)
• Full exemption for Senior Citizens, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and Students — those who travel for health, education, or necessity, not leisure
• Preserve existing exemptions for OFWs and all legally covered groups
• Mandate full public transparency — quarterly reports showing exactly where every peso is collected and spent
THE QUESTION EVERYONE MUST ASK: WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?
Under the law, travel tax revenues are shared among agencies that directly serve our nation:
• TIEZA — building roads, ports, and facilities in tourism sites nationwide
• CHED — scholarships and education in tourism and hospitality
• NCCA & Cultural Agencies — protecting our heritage, arts, and Filipino identity
“If these funds are not reaching our people — the answer is not to destroy the source. The answer is to fix the flow,” Taylan said. “Transparency, not abolition, is what we need.”
IF WE PROMOTE LOCAL TOURISM — WHY MAKE IT CHEAPER TO LEAVE?
This is the truth that must be heard: abolishing the travel tax lowers the cost to fly out — but does nothing to make traveling within our own country affordable.
GTBA proposes directing these funds to benefit Filipinos exploring the Philippines first:
• Subsidized domestic tour packages
• Affordable travel across all Philippine destinations
• Community tourism programs that put income directly into local hands
• Promotions that showcase our islands to our own people
“Let us not make it cheaper to see the world before our own children have seen their own home,” Taylan urged. “Protecting our tourism means protecting our people — making it possible for all Filipinos to fall in love with the Philippines, right here. ”
THIS IS NOT ABOUT KEEPING A TAX — IT IS ABOUT KEEPING OUR PROMISE
The travel tax is a lawful measure under PD 1183 and the Tourism Act of 2009. Reform — not repeal — honors the law while making it kinder, fairer, and responsive to today’s realities.
“We do not defend the amount — we defend the purpose,” Taylan concluded. “A fair tax, at a fair price, with clear benefits for all who pay it. That is not too much to ask. That is the least our people deserve.”
