I think one reason is corruption in the Country, po.
The Philippines is struggling to keep pace in the Southeast Asian (SEA) tourism race, receiving fewer than 4 million international visitors between January and August 2025.
According to data from "Seasia Stats," this puts the country far behind its major neighbors, with four SEA nations attracting between 2.5 and 7 times more tourists:
• Indonesia welcomed 10.4 million visitors (over 2.5 times more).
• Vietnam saw 11.6 million arrivals (nearly 3 times more).
• Thailand registered 21.88 million visitors (over 5.5 times more).
• Malaysia topped the list with 28.24 million foreign tourists (over 7 times more).

The figures highlight a significant challenge for the Philippines when competing with its larger, more easily accessible neighbors.