Naia will hike fee only if needed, says Miaa chief

Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Any increase in terminal fees must go to meet a specific need or objective and must undergo a public hearing, the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) said on Tuesday.

Miaa General Manager Jose Angel Honrado, in a statement, said: “We will consider increasing the terminal fee if there’s a need for it and the need should be specific. And when that time comes, we will go through the normal process of getting board approval and conducting a public hearing.”

Honrado was reacting to Transportation Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas’ pronouncement that the government was considering hiking the terminal fee to fund the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Roxas on Monday said the terminal fees would have to go back up to P750 per passenger from the P550 they were lowered to on February 1.

Honrado explained that as mandated by the Miaa Charter and government regulations, any fee increase must first be approved by the Miaa board before undergoing a public hearing.

“If and when there will be an increase, the increase will be triggered by specific needs or objectives,” Honrado said.

On February 1, the Miaa brought the terminal fee back down to P550 from P750 after the five-year security development charge of P200 lapsed. Tina G. Santos