TUCP slams new airport fee

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) expressed opposition yesterday to a proposed imposition of an airport security surcharge on all departing passengers, which they claimed would be bring additional burden to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

TUCP secretary general and former Sen. Ernesto Herrera said that while the imposition of the US$5 security development fee would mean additional income for the government, it would also "punish Filipinos leaving for work abroad."

"The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) will easily collect about P260 million each year from departing Filipino contract workers which is totally uncalled for," Herrera said in a statement.

MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi, earlier, proposed the imposition of the new fee on departing passengers to finance a P1.2-billion security development plan for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Although the new fee may be nothing to highly skilled workers looking forward to lucrative jobs abroad, it is considered an additional financial burden for majority of OFWs, Herrera said.

"The overwhelming majority of workers deployed overseas are unskilled, including domestic helpers earning the government-prescribed P10,000 minimum monthly salary and such levy is definitely burdensome," the former senator said.

Herrera also noted that many departing overseas workers leave with huge personal debts, after using borrowed money to pay for recruitment or placement fees.

"There is no argument that the MIAA has to reinforce airport security, and that no effort should be spared to secure our ports of entry against possible terrorist attacks. However, instead of arbitrarily imposing an indirect tax, the MIAA should go to Congress and seek appropriations for the new spending," Herrera said.

Reacting to statement of the TUCP, Cusi said that are eyeing the possible exemption of OFWs in their proposed imposition of the additional $5 fee.

However, he admitted that this exemption is still being studied.

"In our studies for the proposed imposition of the $5 security fee, we have hoped to exempt OFWs. However, this is not yet certain," Cusi told The Star yesterday.

Cusi explained that he was still awaiting the report of the committee he had tasked to hold public hearings on the planned imposition of the fee before a decision can be made.

It was learned that some groups have raised questions on the MIAA plan to give an exemption to the OFWs.

"May mga nagsasabi nga na ganyan," Cusi admitted.