Groups of migrant workers on Tuesday urged the Palace to void a Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) directive that would integrate the P550 terminal fee in the price of airline tickets.
At least 15 groups of led by Party-list Rep. Roy Señeres of OFW Family, in a letter dated October 15, asked President Aquino to uphold the interest of the “unsung heroes,” the biggest contributors to Philippine economic progress.
The OFWs also assailed the Miaa directive, saying it constitutes a gross violation of the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act.
“Miaa Memorandum Circular 08 mandates the integration of the airport terminal fee to the airline ticket cost for all passengers, thus, violating Republic Act 8042, or the Migrant Workers Law, which exempts the millions of OFWs from payment of terminal fee,” the letter said.
The Miaa said that beginning on November 1, the airport terminal fee of P550 per departing passenger would be incorporated in the price of airline tickets. The decision was arrived at following talks with the representatives of some 30 international air carriers operating out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The groups also appealed to President Aquino to “totally abrogate” the Miaa circular in response to the “groundswell of opposition from OFWs” against it.
According to Señeres, “the circular flagrantly violates the right of OFWs to be exempted from payment of the airport terminal fee.”
The group also thumbed down Miaa’s assurance that OFWs will be allowed to demand the refund of paid terminal fees upon presentation of their Overseas Employment Certificate.
“Needless to say, the refund will not, in anyway, cure a consummated violation of the law as it would already be a fait accompli,” Señeres said, adding that “a mere circular cannot amend or disregard a clear provision of the republic act.”
Among the OFW leaders who affirmed the appeal to President Aquino were Susan Ople of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute; Carmelita Nuqui, president of Philippine Migrants Rights Watch; Gemma Comiso, Pinoy Expats/OFW Blogs Awards Inc.; Elsa Cabangon, Filipino Migrants Worker; Nelson Ramirez, United Filipino Seafarers; Sis. Teresa Evasco, Daughters of Charity Migrants Desk; Bienvenido Lorque, United Filipino Seafarers; Ma. Fe Nicodemus, Kakammpi; Luther Calderon, Kampi; Rashid Fabricante, Filipino Migrants Worker; Edward Era, Filipino Lifeline Inc.; Lito Soriano, LBS Recruitment; and Elena Sana, Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines.