Senators to MIAA: Stop terminal fee integration

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate called on the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) yesterday to recall its order integrating the terminal fee into the cost of a plane ticket until it comes up with a system automatically exempting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Twenty senators have signed Senate Resolution 1179, “strongly urging” the MIAA to stop the implementation of the terminal fee integration into the price of plane tickets following complaints from the OFW sector.

The main argument given by the OFW groups was that MIAA Memorandum Circular 8, series of 2014, violated Section 35 of Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, which exempts OFWs from paying travel tax, airport and terminal fees.

The circular “does not distinguish between exempt and non-exempt passengers when airline tickets are bought online and abroad, thereby requiring even exempt passengers, especially our OFWs to pay the IPSC (International Passenger Service Charge),” the resolution stated.

Exemption system possible

During a public hearing conducted by a sub-committee of the Senate committee on public services, it was revealed that the adoption of a computer system that will allow the recognition of the exemption of OFWs is possible.

It was also noted that the integration of the terminal fee into the payment of airline tickets is not something urgent and would not result in any loss of profit on the part of the government. 

Even the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has taken the position that OFWs should not be made to pay the terminal fee even if there is a refund system in place.

The POEA also offered to share its OFW database with the airlines to help the creation of an automated system to exempt the OFWs and other locally recognized exempt passengers from paying the terminal fee when they purchase their tickets.

The senators said in the resolution that “it was not shown that earnest efforts on the part of the MIAA were exerted to come up with a solution allowing OFWs and other locally recognized exempt passengers to claim their exemptions, even when buying their airline tickets through online transactions or abroad.”

Legality in question 

The legality of the order was also questioned after doubts were raised about the existence of a governing board resolution authorizing the issuance of the memorandum circular.

In the resolution, the Senate addressed its sentiment to the MIAA board of directors, chaired by Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya.

The senators who signed the resolution were Aquilino Pimentel III, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, Ralph Recto, Loren Legarda, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Sergio Osmeña III, Pia Cayetano, Teofisto Guingona III, Antonio Trillanes IV, Vicente Sotto III, Francis Escudero, JV Ejercito, Grace Poe, Gregorio Honasan, Manuel Lapid, Juan Edgardo Angara, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senate President Franklin Drilon. 

The senators whose signatures were not on the resolution were Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who is on sick leave; and Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr., who are detained at Camp Crame.