MCIA not collecting terminal fee from OFWs

CEBU, Philippines - The Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority has assured that no passenger service charge (PSC), commonly known as terminal fee, will be collected from Overseas Filipino Workers.

MCIAA General Manager Nigel Paul Villarete made the promise during the second public hearing on the proposed increase of the PSC at the Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino in Lapu-Lapu City yesterday.

His assurance was also in response to the clamor by some sectors that poor OFWs will suffer if the increase is implemented.

Villarete cited Republic Act 10022 (Amended Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995) that exempts OFWs from paying the terminal fee, as long as an employment certificate is presented upon purchase of airline tickets in the Philippines.

The MCIAA Board has authorized Villarete to conduct a public hearing on the proposed PSC increase to an amount within the range of P250 to P500 for domestic passengers and within P600 to P1,000 for international passengers, which were supposed to take effect last October 1.

After a focus group discussion with airport stakeholders, MCIAA published the initial proposal for a PSC increase of P100 for domestic and P200 for international passengers.

Villarete pointed out that the existing P200 PSC fee for domestic passengers took effect on January 1, 2006 while the P550 for international passengers was implemented on July 1, 1999 yet.

He also noted that multi-billion dollar airport projects in neighboring countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam are accompanied by increases in the PSC.

As proposed, the new PSC that would be collected would be used to defray expenses for the operation, maintenance, and improvements of the international airport. It would also serve as funds to cover operations and projects of the whole airport, including landside and airside facilities.

Landside means the passenger and cargo terminals and the access system like parking, roads, public transport facilities, and loading and unloading areas.

Operation, maintenance, and improvements of the airport shall be handled by GMR-Megawide under its public-private partnership agreement.

Yesterday, Villarete called on other stakeholders to submit their position papers before the next MCIAA Board meeting this Friday, October 10, before members would come up with a final decision.

But while there are those who showed support to the plan in yesterday’s public hearing, those who opposed the plan said they want the MCIAA Board to lobby with the national government for Cebu’s international airport to keep the P14.4 billion that GMR-Megawide gave as initial payment.

GMR-Megawide is the winning bidder of the multi-billion Mactan airport upgrading project under the public-private partnership program of the national government.

GMR-Megawide will take over operation and expand the airport terminal and introduced expansion for 25 years.—(FREEMAN)