Cost of Living

House approves travel tax abolition bill on second reading

The House of Representatives approved on second reading House Bill No. 8464 to abolish the travel tax, a fixed charge currently ranging from P1,620 to P2,700 per passenger that has become an outdated financial burden on Filipino travelers. The measure seeks to repeal Presidential Decree No. 1183 and related provisions of the Tourism Act of 2009, though concerns remain about alternative funding sources for agencies that benefit from the current P8 billion annual travel tax revenue, including the Commission on Higher Education.