JV Ejercito seeks Senate probe on expensive domestic flights, tourism infrastructure
February 02, 2026
Amid growing public clamor over inadequate infrastructure that hinders accessible travel, Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the implementation of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) to assess the readiness of Philippine tourism infrastructure and its impact on domestic travel.
“Kung gusto nating umunlad ang turismo, kailangan mauna ang maayos na imprastraktura. Hindi rin dapat mas mahal pang maglakbay sa sariling bansa kaysa lumipad sa ibang bansa,” Ejercito said.
“There is a need to look into the implementation of the National Tourism Development Plan to address the gaps in the tourism industry that limits competitiveness, development, accessibility, and overall tourist experience,” he said in a resolution filed on Jan. 26.
Under Senate Resolution No. 257, Ejercito is directing the Committee on Tourism, which he chairs, to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the implementation of the NTDP to ensure that tourism infrastructure development supports domestic travel and sustains long-term growth of the tourism sector.
Launched in 2023, NTDP aims to improve tourism infrastructure and accessibility, enhance overall tourist experience, diversify tourism products, maximize domestic and international tourism, and strengthen tourism governance through collaboration with national and local stakeholders.
Despite steady growth in visitor arrivals and domestic tourism spending, Ejercito pointed out that the country continues to fall short of its international tourism targets, highlighting persistent gaps in infrastructure.
Ejercito stressed that tourism infrastructure remains one of the country’s weakest points, citing global rankings that show deficiencies in airports, seaports, road networks, and essential tourist facilities.
He added that these infrastructure shortcomings contribute directly to the high cost of domestic travel, making it more expensive for Filipinos to explore local destinations than to travel to nearby ASEAN countries.
“Kapag mas mura pa ang pamasahe papuntang Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, o Hong Kong kaysa sa sarili nating mga probinsya, malinaw na may mali sa sistema,” Ejercito said.
The resolution also flagged reports of exorbitant domestic airfares, noting that these prices have a “negative impact” on domestic tourism and the livelihood of communities that depend heavily on tourism.
“These prices for domestic flight fares seemed to have a negative impact for the Filipino citizens to explore their own country,” he emphasized.
The Committee on Tourism, jointly with the Committees on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, and Finance, will hold a public hearing in aid of legislation tomorrow, Feb. 3.
