These are expected to be passed before June, according to the Palace.
On Tuesday, at the Palace press briefing, Usec. Claire Castro shared that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has listed 21 priority bills during the 3rd Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting.
Among which, she noted, the President expressed his support for the proposed abolition of the travel tax, citing its potential to ease the financial burden on Filipino travelers not only for leisure, but especially for those who are going to work and during emergency situations.
“Nakita po ng Pangulo na mas makakagaan po ito sa ating mga turista at sa ating mga kababayan na nagbibiyahe,” she said.
Castro assured the public that if the travel tax abolition or reduction bill is passed in Congress, funding for affected tourism, education, and heritage programs would not be affected as it would be allocated through the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Travel tax collected from departing Filipino travelers under Presidential Decree No. 1183 and related provisions of the Tourism Act of 2009, which collects PHP2,700 for first-class passengers and PHP1,620 for economy-class travelers.
Tne amount generated will then be distributed among three sectors. The 50 percent share will go to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), while another 40 percent will be channeled to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), amd 10 percent alloted to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Notably, Presidential son, House Majority Leader, and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos has also filed a similar measure, House Bill No. 7443, where he said that the travel tax has outlived its original purpose and now only adds to the financia burden on travelers.
Aside from the Travel Tax Abolition, also included in the 21 acts pushed under LEDAC are the Expanded Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act of 2026; Anti-Fake News and Digital Disinformation; and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Elections.
Also added is the controversial Anti-Political Dynasty Law; Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability or CADENA Act; Independent People’s Commission Act; and Party-List System Reform Act.
Amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law/ Banking Reform for Integrity, Good Governance, Honesty, and Transparency (BRIGHT) Act; Right to Information Act; Amendments to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act are also included.
PBBM also pushes for the revision to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act; Amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Pilipino Act; Amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Act; Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act; and the National Center for Geriatric Health.
The rest of the priority legislations are: Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Bill/Waste Treatment Technology Act; Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA)-Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Strengthening Bill; Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law/Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment (RICE) Act; Department of Water Resources; and Estate Tax Amnesty.
“Sa kabuuan, natuwa at kuntento naman ang Pangulo sa mga priority bills na inaasahang added maipapasa bago mag-Hunyo ngayong taon,” said Castro.