SO as for the country to be able to compete with neighboring Southeast Asian countries, which have been experiencing a spike in international tourists, the Department of Tourism is being urged anew by Senator Erwin Tulfo to bolster efforts in lowering the ticket prices for domestic flights.
The renewed call was issued by Sen. Tulfo during the Senate plenary debates for the 2026 DOT Budget, saying, “our people would rather go to Hong Kong or Taiwan because the one-way ticket going to Batanes or one-way ticket going to Tawi-Tawi is more expensive compared to a round-trip ticket going to Hong Kong.”
Apart from offering cheaper prices in domestic destinations, the legislator also recommended the creation of direct flights to provinces and the promotion of underrated provinces like Marinduque, among others.
For her part, 2026 DOT budget sponsor Senator Loren Legarda said: “The Department of Tourism recognizes that high airfares are the key deterrent to travel. They’re working closely with the Department of Transportation, Civil Aeronautics Board, DTI, and the PCC (Philippine Competition Commission) to address this.”
Too, Legarda noted that consultations are ongoing to finalize a code of conduct for online travel agencies to ensure transparency and fair pricing, aligned with the Internet Transactions Act.
Sen. Erwin’s sentiment stemmed from the Philippines being at the tail end of Southeast Asia countries when it comes to international tourist arrivals.
Based on a travel data from January to August 2025 by Seasia Stats, Malaysia recorded 28.24 million international arrivals, followed by Thailand at 21.88 million, Vietnam at 12.9 million, Singapore at 11.6 million, Indonesia at 10.04 million, and the Philippines at 3.96 million.
“This is the major hindrance to boost local tourism—the skyrocketing ticket prices. We have beautiful beaches in Basilan, and we have beautiful beaches in Jolo, Tawi-Tawi, and other parts of the country. We have a beautiful scenery in Batanes. Unfortunately, it is too pricey,” Sen. Erwin lamented.
