First Ever Modified Eco-Friendly Tourist Rest Area to rise in Bicol Region

From left to right: TIEZA OIC Assistant Chief Operating Officer Jeoffrey Macalalad, Tabaco City Mayor Cielo Krisel Lagman, DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Vice Governor Glenda Ong Bongao, and DOT Regional Office V Director Herbie Aguas sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the sustainable Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in Tabaco City.

TABACO CITY, Albay—The Department of Tourism (DOT) marked a significant advancement for Bicol's tourism sector with the groundbreaking and signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the region's inaugural Tourist Rest Area (TRA), led by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Tabaco City Mayor Cielo Krisel Lagman.

This was the first TRA in the Philippines to receive the modifications of the flagship tourist facility being constructed by the DOT, through the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) across strategic locations, with features of solar panel roofing, a rainwater harvesting system, among other eco-friendly features.

Welcome relief for OFWs coming home for the Holidays

OFWs have long enjoyed travel tax exemption privileges under Section 2 of PD 1183, due to their significant contribution to our national economy. During the previous Holiday season though, and in Holiday Seasons past, those who wished to take advantage of their travel tax exemption had to obtain a certificate from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), for which there was a fee. This Holiday Season will be the first in which OFWs will no longer need to pay for and obtain a separate Travel Tax Exemption Certificate.

When leaving the country for their country of employment after this year’s holiday season. OFWs can be exempted automatically from travel taxes in one of two ways: If they were hired through the POEA, the Overseas Employment Certificate issued by the POEA will serve as the Travel Tax Exemption Certificate. For those hired directly by companies abroad, a Certificate of Employment issued by the Philippine Embassy / Consulate in the place of work or an Employment Contract authenticated by the Philippine Embassy / Consulate.

Travel Tax payment now easy and hassle free

Standing in line is something that nobody likes. This is why TIEZA, the government arm tasked with the collection and allocation of Travel Taxes; that formerly had to be settled either at a TIEZA office or at a dedicated queue at the airport, has now rolled out the Travel Tax Online Payment System. No more falling in line at the airport just to pay your travel taxes, now it can be done via this simple procedure: Go to the TIEZA website at http://tieza.gov.ph/ (or: http://www.phtraveltax.com/cgi-bin/tieza.cgi) , from there you can open an account via a short registration procedure. The default home screen is the Travel Tax Online Payment System, to begin the process, simply click “click here”. The TIEZA home screen is not static, and the main image changes, should the main image cycle to different image, you won’t need to wait for it to cycle back, just click the “Travel Tax” tab, and select “Pay Travel Tax” in the dropdown, this should bring you to the login screen. First timers should click on “Don’t have an account? Click here”, this will bring up the registration screen. The registration screen will ask for very basic information, including your email address. Be sure to fill in an address you have access to at the moment you register, as you will need to confirm your registration via email. Finally, you will get a pop-up summary of the information you provided, and be asked to click “OK” to confirm.

Welcome relief for OFWs coming home for the Holidays

OFWs have long enjoyed travel tax exemption privileges under Section 2 of PD 1183, due to their significant contribution to our national economy. During the previous Holiday season though, and in Holiday Seasons past, those who wished to take advantage of their travel tax exemption had to obtain a certificate from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), for which there was a fee. This Holiday Season will be the first in which OFWs will no longer need to pay for and obtain a separate Travel Tax Exemption Certificate.

When leaving the country for their country of employment after this year’s holiday season. OFWs can be exempted automatically from travel taxes in one of two ways: If they were hired through the POEA, the Overseas Employment Certificate issued by the POEA will serve as the Travel Tax Exemption Certificate. For those hired directly by companies abroad, a Certificate of Employment issued by the Philippine Embassy / Consulate in the place of work or an Employment Contract authenticated by the Philippine Embassy / Consulate.

Travel Tax payment now easy and hassle free

Standing in line is something that nobody likes, which is why TIEZA, the government arm tasked with the collection and allocation of travel taxes that once had to be settled either at a TIEZA office or at a dedicated queue at the airport, has now rolled out the Travel Tax Online Payment System. No more falling in line at the airport just to pay your travel taxes, now all you need is to follow this simple procedure:

1. Go to the TIEZA website at TIEZA.gov.ph

2. From the TIEZA home page click on “click here” at the Philippine Travel Tax Payment System screen:

OR

If the Philippine Travel Tax Payment System is not the screen displayed on the TIEZA home page, click The Travel Tax Tab, and Select “Pay Travel Tax”

3. Click on “Don’t have an account? Click Here” (assuming you are a first timer).

Registration:

4. Fill out the member registration form.

5. When done filling out the registration form, click “ok” to confirm information or “Cancel” to change information.

6. Open the email address you provided and confirm your registration via the confirmation link that TIEZA will send you. If the email does not appear right away, wait a few seconds to a minute and refresh your browser. Should the confirmation email never arrived, there is will be a confirmation link to click on the TIEZA site.

Travel Tax Payment:

7. Once confirmed, click “Click Here to fill up Travel Tax Payment Form!” to bring up Travel Tax Payment Form.

8. Fill up Travel Tax Payment form and click “Confirm Application”

9. The online payment form will appear, fill up Online Payment for and click “confirm payment”

10. Your travel tax payment transactions will appear on the next screen under “Recent Travel Tax Application”, when a transaction has been fully completed, a “Print”

button will appear next to it. Wait for the button to read “Print” and click the print button. This may take a few minutes. Refresh your browser every 10 seconds until the print button appears.

11. From the final screen you will be able to print your Travel Tax Payment Receipt. Print the receipt, and bring the printout with you to the airport on the day of your flight, to be presented with your other travel documents

For more information, call the TIEZA office at (02) 551 – 9533 for more information.