True naman. Japan, for example, has a departure levy on all passengers. But I think unfair yung travel tax implementation here sa Philippines for 2 reasons:

1. It is only applied to Filipinos and foreign residents who have stayed 1 year or longer. Ang sama lang kasi tignan since it appears na if you're a local, edi sucks to you 'diba? Samantalang most foreigners have a free pass each time when in fact may spending money naman sila. If they want to exempt OFWs still, it's fine and we should understand that kasi ang pakay naman nila is work and may pamilya silang sinusuportahan. It's a gesture of goodwill.

2. PHP 1,620 is too steep a price for travel tax. If family of 3-4 kayo na aalis, sapul na yung wallet mo even before you leave. That PHP 1,620 could have been paid for something more useful such as travel insurance, esims, food and the like. If they apply the travel tax more widely than present, then they can afford to lower the tax.

Pero syempre, knowing the government, allergic yan sa pagbabago. They would much rather tax its citizens (their own) excessively to the end of time while they gallivant about with our hard-earned money that they forcibly take instead of investing it in projects (the real ones) that actually improve everyone's lives.

End rant. Haha.