Noy, court asked to stop airport terminal fee integration

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino and the Pasay City regional trial court (RTC) were asked yesterday to stop the government from having the airport terminal fee integrated into the cost of airline tickets.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People, led by Balanga, Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos, said they asked Aquino to disapprove the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) circular, which states that airline tickets bought locally, abroad and online will include the P550 terminal fee also called the International Passenger Service Charge (IPSC) starting tomorrow.

Santos said the MIAA and the Department of Transportation and Communications decided to push through with implementing the IPSC even if there is still a case pending before the Pasay City RTC Branch 109 and congressional hearings on Feb. 9.

He said while overseas Filipino workers are exempt by law from paying the IPSC, the “MIAA itself admits that OFWs who will buy their tickets online or overseas will not be able to claim exemptions since airline companies and travel agencies with offices outside the Philippines do not recognize and cannot be compelled to recognize their exemptions granted by our laws.”

Meanwhile, lawyer Francisco de Guzman, in an urgent motion for a writ of preliminary injunction, urged Branch 109 Judge Tingaraan Guiling to stop the MIAA from implementing the circular.

De Guzman said Guiling ruled that the scheme was “unenforceable” due to its lack of publication after a 20-day temporary restraining order he issued in November 2014 expired. The TRO was based on a petition filed by the party-list group OFW Family Club. – Evelyn Macairan, Perseus Echeminada