MANILA - Foreign tourists in the Philippines can expect VAT refunds on their purchases starting 2024 after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr approved the measure, Malacanang said on Sunday.

This comes after the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Tourism Sector Group recommended the measure as a way to make the country more attractive to foreign travelers.

Marcos also approved the rollout of e-visa by 2023, prioritizing China and India; and the removal of One Health Pass, or requirement of only one form for health, immigration and customs.

“The revocation of outdated advisories and loud-speaker announcements in the country’s airports and the automatic inclusion of travel tax in all airline tickets were also among PSAC’s Quick Wins recommendations,” the Palace said.

Marcos is expected to issue an executive order to implement the tax refund program, which is also being carried out in other countries.

The PSAC is also working on a mobile app called e-Travel, which integrates all of the information on immigration, customs, health, and quarantine, the Palace said.

The Philippines recorded 2.65 million visitors from February to December last year.

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