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BillHBN-846420th Congress

Travel Tax Abolition Act of 2026

In committee Filed Mar 17, 2026
◷ Where it standsIn Committee
FiledCommittee2nd Reading3rd ReadingBicamEnacted

Filed on March 17, 2026, and approved on third reading by the House of Representatives on March 16, 2026. The bill is currently pending in the Committee on Ways and Means, with no recorded action since it was referred to the Senate on March 18, 2026.

Should you care?
Relevance to you
Broad

The bill affects a wide range of stakeholders in the tourism and education sectors.

Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone AuthorityCommission on Higher EducationNational Commission for Culture and the ArtsTravelers
Timeliness
Timely

The bill addresses the need for economic recovery in the tourism sector post-pandemic.

Affects you ifTravelersTourism industry workersStudentsCultural organizationsGovernment agencies
Impact assessment
AI read — verify with source
Overall impact
8.0/ 10
Long title

Travel Tax Abolition Act of 2026

Plain-language summary
AI Summary

The Travel Tax Abolition Act of 2026 aims to abolish the travel tax imposed under existing laws and provide for the refund of any previously paid travel tax. It also mandates the National Government to ensure funding for certain agencies affected by the abolition of the tax.

What this bill actually requires
RequiresNo travel tax shall be collected by any government agency or private entity upon the effectivity of this Act.
RequiresThe collecting authority shall refund any previously paid travel tax for flights scheduled on or after the effectivity of this Act.
RequiresThe National Government shall provide necessary funding for the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the Commission on Higher Education, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts through the annual General Appropriations Act.
FundsThe National Government shall provide necessary funding for the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the Commission on Higher Education, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts through the annual General Appropriations Act.
DeadlineThe implementing rules and regulations must be promulgated within sixty (60) days after the approval of this Act.
DeadlineThis Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
ⓘ AI-generated — verify with the source.↗ Official Senate PDF
What changes from current law

Compared with current law:

Today

Travel tax is currently collected on flights.

This bill

Travel tax will be abolished, and refunds will be issued for any paid taxes.

ⓘ AI-generated comparison — verify against the bill and the cited law.
Ask this bill

The Act abolishes the travel tax imposed under existing laws and mandates that no travel tax shall be collected by any government agency or private entity. It also requires refunds for any previously paid travel tax for flights scheduled on or after the effectivity of the Act.

Source · full text
Issue areas
HealthEducationFinance & BudgetLocal GovernmentEducation fundingTravel TaxTourismCultural Fundinggovernment budget

✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.

Legislative history
Mar 17, 2026Senate
Introduced by Representatives FERDINAND ALEXANDER A. MARCOS, FAUSTINO V "INNO" A. DY, EDUARDO JR. R. RAMA, ANIELA BIANCA D. TOLENTINO, ERIC GO YAP, et. al.;
Mar 17, 2026Senate
Approved on Third Reading by the House of Representatives on March 16, 2026;
Mar 17, 2026Senate
Sent to the Senate requesting for concurrence;
Mar 18, 2026Senate
Read on First Reading and Referred to the Committees on WAYS AND MEANS; TOURISM and FINANCE;
✦ AI insight

Stalled: the bill has been pending in the committee for several months with no action since it was referred to the Senate on March 18, 2026.

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Floor activity

No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.

Full text
HBN-8464 — verbatim textAs filed

CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES TWENTIETH CONGRESS First Regular Session HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H. No. 8464 BY REPRESENTATIVES MARCOS, DY (F.), RAMA, TOLENTINO, YAP (ERIC), MARCOLETA, OLIVAREZ, CRUZ (R.), BOCOBO, YAMSUAN, KO, PRIMICIAS-AGABAS, ODUCADO, VILLANUEVA, BAUTISTA-LIM, GALANG, RODRIGUEZ (R.), RODRIGUEZ (M.), TAN (KM.), MADRONA, SUANSING (M.A.), QUIMBO, MIRAFLORES, ZAMORA (Y.M.), EMANO, POL, DAZA, SAN FERNANDO, REVILLA (B.), MOMO, CENIZA, ACOSTA, ALBANO, ATAYDE, BELTRAN, CARI, CAYTON, GARIN, LEGARDA, MARQUEZ, RECTO, REMULLA, SARALURAN, TIANGCO, VELOSO, CO-PILAR, DE LIMA, TULFO (R.W.), MERCADO-REVILLA, ALANO, MANGUDADATU, TARRIELA, ZAMORA (M.C.), GOMEZ, HERNANDEZ (F.), MATTRAG, RODRIGUEZ (E.), SUANSING (B.V.), LUMAYAG HOrER-HASIM, DIMAPORO (L.), ANGELES, VILLARICA, CHAN, LAGDAMEO (J.M.), BENITEZ (A.), HERNANDEZ (C.A.), AGARAO, GONZALES (R), LAZATIN, CHUA-TAI, PIMENTEL, AGYAO, DIMAGUILA, MERCADO, SALVADOR, ONGCHUAN, ADIONG, ALBA, AQUINO, ARBISON (M.), ARENAS, ASISTIO, AUMENTADO, BALINDONG, BARONDA, BERNOS (J.), CAGAS, CALIXTO, CASTRO, CHUA, CORVERA, CRUZ (A.), CRUZADO, CUA, DAYANGHIRANG, DE VENECIA, DEGAMO, DIMAPORO (S.A.), DIONISIO, DOMOGAN, ESPINA, FLORES, GALEOS, GARCIA (D.), GONZALES (A.M.), GORRICETA, GUICO, GULIAS, KHO (A), KHO (E.), KHO (W.), KHONGHUN, LABADLABAD, LAGON (D.), LARA, LUISTRO, MANIQUIZ, MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, MASTURA, MATUGAS, NOLASCO, DAMINAL (H.), ORTEGA, PANALIGAN, PANOTES, PASCUAL, PLEYTO, REGENCIA, REVILLA (R.J.), ROMUALDEZ ROMUALDO, SAGARBARRIA, SALCEDA, SALVACION, SANTOS (M.A.S.), SOLON, SUAN, SUAREL, TAN (J.), TAN (R.M.), TAN (S.), TENG, TUAN, TUPAS, Uy (D.C.), UY (F.), VARGAS-ALFONSO, VARGAS, VIOLAGO, YAP (C.), YU (J.V.), YU (J.K.), YULO, HERNANDEZ (D.), AQUINO-MAGSAYSAY, ANG, SEIMURA, DALOG, LEGAZPI, ESCUDERO, GUINTU, SALVAME, DEL MAR, VERGARA, AMANTE, BAÑAS-NOGRALES, ARRISON (M. JR), LOYOLA, RIVERA, DELOS SANTOS, VALERIANO, CO, DAGOOC, LAGBAS, ELAGO, VILLA, TINIO, PEREZ, GONZALES (C.S.), CENDAÑA, CALDERON, YAP (A.), LORIA, BAUTISTA (J.M.), BRIONES, ROQUE, ACIDRE, MENDOZA, CELESTE, ABALOS, DIOKNO, LAGDAMEO (M.Y.M.), TEVES, LOPEZ, ZUBIRI, GONZALES (A.), ESPARES, PANCHO, BENITEZ (J.M.), CHAN (J.F.N.J.), PUMAREN AND YATCO AN ACT ABOLISHING THE TRAVEL TAX Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Tide. - This Act shall be known as the Travel Tax Abolition

Act of 2026."

SEC. 2 Abolition of Travel Tax. - The travel tax imposed under Presidential

2 Decree No. 1183, as amended, and Section 73 of Republic Act No. 9593, otherwise 3 known as the "Tourism Act of 2009," as amended, is hereby abolished.

SEC. 3. Prohibition and Refund. - Upon the effectivity of this Act, no travel

5 tax shall be collected by any goverment agency or private entity. For flights 6 scheduled on or after the date of effectivity of this Act, the collecting authority shall 7 immediately refund any previously paid travel tax to the passenger.

SEC. 4. Appropriations. - To ensure the continuity of programs and projects

9 previously funded by travel tax collections, the National Government shall provide the 10 necessary funding for the following agencies through the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA): (1) the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) for tourism development projects and the subsidy for its operating expenditures, if necessary; (2) the Commission on Higher Education for the Higher Education Development Fund; and (3) the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts.

SEC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days after

the approval of this Act, the TIEZA, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management, shall promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for the efficient implementation of the tax refund and the transition to GAA-based funding.

SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,

and other issuances inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be declared

unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,

Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.