MANILA, Philippines — House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" Marcos has filed a measure that seeks to abolish the travel tax system.
The lawmaker said travel tax has "outlived its purpose" and blocks the country’s goals of economic recovery, mobility and regional competitiveness.
House Bill 7443 would scrap the Travel Tax system, ending the collection of fixed charges. At present, a tax of P2,700 is charged for first-class passengers and P1,620 for economy class. Marcos said that for families, these amounts quickly add up and divert resources that could otherwise be spent on basic needs.
Marcos said that the travel tax was created in a different economic context.
"Today, it has become an added cost that restricts mobility and weighs heavily on ordinary Filipinos who simply want to travel for work, family or opportunity,” he said.
“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.