Philippine Reduced Travel Tax

Travelling is fun; it should be enjoyable and less stressful. Paying travel tax is a real burden on our pocket. Why our country is imposing travel tax on its own countrymen? I don't want to pay P1,620 for each of us, so I find ways on how to avail of discount on our travel tax rates. I checked the website of Department of Tourism, now TIEZA or Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority. As stated in PD 1183, the listing is provided for those who are entitled to reduced travel tax rate and exempted from payment of travel tax. Being dependents of an OCW, we are categorized into privileged reduced travel tax. Documents on its original form should be presented for validation including passport, OEC (balik mangagawa form), Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate and e-ticket. Don't bother to photocopy, they will do it for you and it's free of charge. There are travel tax offices in Manila and also in the provinces to serve you better. Take note of the POEA Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), the front desk staff will ask you for the original copy. I gave him the scanned copy showing the stamps, yet he is not satisfied.

I told the representative that how could that be possible to provide such copy where in fact the OCW travels alone by himself and that pertinent document was with him at the time of travel and upon checking in, any traveler are not allowed to go out of the premise. Still he insists that it should be provided. I reasoned out that it was our first time to travel as dependents so I don't know that OEC should be on its original format. He made a lot of side comments, such as "Ma'am, I will allow this for now but next time, you should comply." Then I heard him saying in a minimal tone "next time you'll do the same". I don't want to argue with this nut. I feel great that I have contributed a portion to his salary for the travel tax that I'm paying. Besides, I don't want to suffer from headaches; it will be a long journey for us with two kids travelling with me. I had already processed my children's reduced travel tax in the main office of TIEZA, yet there are no nasty remarks from the officer and she didn't even bother to ask for the original form of OEC. They treated me fairly and courteously like any human being. 

I paid P500 each, P300 for travel tax and P200 for processing fee. I was able to save P3,360. What a relief! In 2011, I also applied for standard reduced travel tax for minors between 2 to 12 years of age. A certificate will be issued to the applicant, thus will be presented upon checking in at the airport.

TRAVEL TAX RATES

	First Class Passage	Economy Class Passage
Full rate	PHP 2700	PHP 1620
Standard reduced rate	PHP 1350	PHP 810
Privileged reduced rate for dependents of Overseas Contract Workers (OCWs)	PHP 400	PHP 300

A Processing fee of Php 200.00 is collected for each certificate issued.

Photobook Philippines discounted deals (Review)

Most of us treasured memories being together with our family, thus photo album making became a part of every household member, whether digital or the traditional scrap-booking type. I'm one of those who keep records of any occasion, travel, and life event I had for decades. Gone are the days you need to buy films, batteries, and flash bulbs for your camera and let the professionals do the job of developing your roll into beautiful crafted pictures. Digital camera was born and you will no longer pay for the cost of unwanted photos. Thanks to our technology, life makes it easier. 

screenshot of the promotion

Today, preserving your photos is like fashion trending for new styles and colors. Photobook was introduced by several companies competing with each other and offering different promotions. The deal from MetroDeal offered 75% savings which is too good to be true. You can create your own personalized softcover photobook for P500 instead of paying P2,000. It was proven that the more discounts given, the more people will buy as evident for 2,888 who purchase the service. I was amazed of the offer and grab my voucher. 

Photobook according to Wikipedia is a book in which photographs make a significant contribution to the overall content.

After installing the software, I created an online account and started designing my own photobook. Page styles, frames, backgrounds, and designs vary according to your needs and themes. There are several ready books also to choose from for different book size and style. The instructions are easy to follow and the tools are user-friendly. The software by the way is free to download and you can go back to your project anytime you want. Internet connection is not needed unless you are ready to place your order.

details of shipment

During the checkout process, you will be asked to enter your voucher code. Be mindful of the expiry date as this cannot be extended. I am near my deadline; my voucher is valid until August first, so I need to finish my other photobook. Shipping fee is not included. I paid P350 for a Medium Portrait of 40 pages Imagewrap type. Production of the album will start as soon as you have completed uploading your files. Photobook Philippines will send you email promptly acknowledging your purchase and notifying the status of your order. The service courier provided is really fast. You can track the delivery process of your order by checking the tracking code number provided to you. After three days, I already receive my photo album. The product itself is satisfying and the book binding looks good and sturdy enough to last a lifetime. My chosen cover was wrapped beautifully into a matte-laminated format. The photos are printed on a premium silk paper as stated in the fine print. I can’t deny my admiration for its glossy appeal and the smoothness it feels when you touch the pages. However, the image quality did not pass my standard. It looks very different from the one I created, lacking its radiance, dull and dim; it seems that the cartridge was almost drained from its ink. Should I deserve this kind of service in exchange of availing the product for a discounted rate? Well, I guess not.

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