Senator Erwin Tulfo is merely saying out loud what millions of Filipinos have been feeling in silence: flying within our own country has become absurdly, unforgivably expensive. And while government officials keep repeating the tired mantra of “boosting domestic tourism,” the reality is that sky-high fares are killing local travel faster than any pandemic ever did.
“This is the major hindrance to boost local tourism—the skyrocketing ticket prices,” Tulfo said. He is right. Dreams of exploring our own islands have become a cruel joke. Families scroll through travel apps not to book trips, but to daydream—because the moment they check the fares, the fantasy collapses. For many, a round-trip flight to Visayas or Mindanao now costs as much as a discounted ticket to Hong Kong or Singapore. How is that rational? How is that patriotic?
Tulfo’s examples expose an uncomfortable truth: our most beautiful destinations are becoming exclusive playgrounds for the affluent. “We have beautiful beaches in Basilan… in Jolo, Tawi-Tawi… beautiful scenery in Batanes,” he said. Indeed, these are treasures the world envies—but they might as well be in another continent given how unreachable they have become for ordinary Filipinos. When a ticket to Batanes can swallow a month’s wage, it is not “tourism”—it is economic discrimination.
This is not just an airline problem. This is a governance failure. The Department of Tourism loves to talk about branding, marketing, and glossy foreign campaigns. Yet it refuses to confront the bleeding obvious: tourism begins at home. What good is a “Love the Philippines” slogan when Filipinos themselves cannot afford to love—or even reach—their own country?
Airlines will always cite fuel costs, taxes, and limited airport slots. Fine. But where is the government’s spine? Where is the policy response? Other countries provide subsidies for remote routes, regulate surcharges, expand regional airport access, and ensure competition keeps fares reasonable. Here, we shrug and leave travelers at the mercy of peak-season pricing algorithms.
Tulfo’s call should embarrass the DOT into action. Domestic tourism cannot thrive when traveling from Manila to Mindanao feels like flying across the Pacific. It cannot thrive when the average Filipino must choose between paying rent and seeing their own heritage.
If we are serious about reviving domestic tourism, then let’s stop pretending the problem is lack of interest. The problem is lack of political will to make travel affordable.
High fares are grounding the Filipino traveler—and unless government finally intervenes, the country’s tourism ambitions will remain trapped on the runway.
