Stop collecting terminal fee from OFWs, migrant group urges gov’t

A migrant group on Wednesday renewed its call on the government to stop collecting terminal fees from overseas Filipino workers amid complaints of long queues at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

Migrante-Middle East urged President Benigno Aquino III to direct the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) to order authorities of the Manila International Airport (Miaa) to stop the collection of terminal fee.

“We are renewing our call to stop the collection of P500 terminal fee on every OFW. It violates the provision of Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers Act as amended by RA 10022, thus the government is committing an illegal act against the sector—the OFWs—who are helping the economy afloat through the billion dollar remittances it sent to the country,” said Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona.

Monterona said the refund provision of the terminal fee should not be used as a justification of its existence.

“The mere collection of terminal fee on OFW is an act that violates a special law. And it can’t be corrected by the Miaa refund provision,” he said. “Not only illegal. It is like pain in the a** for every OFW Balik Manggagawa in getting it refunded with long queues at Naia.”

Monterona said the terminal fee was an “unnecessary burden courtesy of the government.”

“One could not avoid to suspect that the slow terminal fee refund was intentional so that OFWs will be discouraged to get their P550,” he said. “By the way, saan nga pala napupunta ang mga un-refunded terminal fee ng mga OFWs? Milyones ang pinag-uusapan natin dito.”