Bill proposed to abolish travel tax for Filipinos
KOTA KINABALU: Filipinos in Malaysia, particularly in Sabah, welcomed the proposed Senate Bill 1841 seeking to abolish the collection of travel tax from Filipinos travelling abroad.
A group identified as the Concerned Filipino Professionals in Sabah said removing the levy of Php P1,620 (RM128.52) for economy passengers and Php 2,700 (RM214.33) for business class will not only ease the financial burden of travellers but also encourage more people to travel, especially among the youth and local businessmen, investors and tourists amongst others.
Its spokesperson, Nikko Fabian, said the annulment of the duty would also be benefical to holders of Philippine passport with Malaysian multi-entry social visit pass, including frequent overseas Filipino travellers like local businessmen, investors and tourists.
Under the present immigration regulation, Nikko said overseas Filipino travellers departing from Mindanao and Palawan and registered Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are the only people exempted from paying the travel tax.
Last Thursday, he said Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel filed a bill to remove the travel tax collection imposed on Filipino travellers going abroad. Seeking re-election in next month’s midterm polls, Nikko said the former Senate Speaker told Manila media that requiring payment of travel tax for Filipinos travelling abroad is ‘wrong’ and should be abolished.
In seeking the tax repeal, especially for travelers bound for countries within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Pimentel pointed out that it should have been in effect since November 2002, “following the signing of the regional intergovernmental tourism agreement in which the Philippines is one of the signatories.
“I find it ironic and I find it mistaken that we are taxing a right. Every Filipino has the right to travel, but we are taxing this right. That is wrong,” Pimentel reiterated.
Expressing strong and unified support to the proposed Bill 1841, the concerned group described the measure as noble and timely. The members recalled that the travel tax collection was first imposed in 1977 by then-President Ferdinand E. Marcos following the issuance of Presidential Decree 1183 .
“The said collection was designed to provide adequate funds for tourism-related programs and projects in its (Government) bid to be competitive in the tourism sector with other countries,” they said.
However, the group insisted that it is unfair to let the taxpayers continue carry the burden of funding and providing the stateof-the-art tourism facilities and infrastructures of the industry. “We hope and pray that the proposed Bill 1841 will not be another campaign strategy of aspiring election candidates to lure support from the voters,” the group added.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Senate is set to work on remedial legislation abolishing the Marcosera travel-tax imposition as soon as Congress reconvenes its plenary session next month.