Recto: Travel Tax and Terminal Fees Should be Spent at NAIA

The Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has declared that the government should use travel tax and fees paid by Manila's 32 million annual passengers to improve the standards and image of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. 

Copyright Photo: PhilStar.com

According to Recto, lack of money should never be an excuse for ignoring complaints about security issues and passenger discomfort as three government agencies source much of their combined P16.5 billion annual income from what has been described as "the world's worst airport." The government agencies that are currently benefiting from the funds collected at NAIA include the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the Manila International Airport Authority, and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. 

Recto says that even if just a fraction of the fees paid by passengers and aircraft using the airport were used for the direct benefit of NAIA, there would be enough to install "clean toilets, CCTV's, and comfortable couches" in all four of the airport's terminals. 

"If a mall charges a mere P10 for the use of a hotel-like toilet, I can't see why a Filipino travelling abroad who pays P550 in terminal fees and P1,620 in travel tax should be entitled to less," said Recto. 

In 2012, the Manila International Airport Authority recorded a gross operating income of P8.28 billion and a net income after taxes of P2.64 billion. According to Recto, P3.3 billion of the gross income came from "toll and terminal fees" paid by departing passengers. Each departing passenger pays a P550 terminal fee for international flights and P200 for domestic flights.Recto added that the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority received P3.5 billion in "travel tax" in 2012 that was levied on more than 2 million passengers. 

Recto revealed that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is also a profitable organization with a gross income of nearly P4.7 billion and net income of P1.93 billion for 2012. "While CAAP derives its income from pilot licensing fees and aircraft airworthiness certificates, what cannot be denied is that most of the holders of these use the country's premier airport," said Recto. 

Recto praised the Civil Aviation Authority for its decision to fund the CCTV security system for NAIA Terminal 3 but added that this funding model "must be the template in using internally-generated income to improve the NAIA complex." Recto used this as an example to push TIEZA to invest some of its tax funds back into the NAIA complex in order to enhance amenities within all four terminals. He also added that the airport collects fees from airport concessionaires like taxis and food stalls. 

Unlike Congress, the three government agencies have the power and authority to easily allocate funds for NAIA-improvement projects. “Hindi kasama sa national budget ang pag-gasta ng kita at pondo nila, kaya mas madali silang maglaan ng pondo kung drinking fountains, couches at malinis na comfort rooms lang ang bibilhin.” Recto said.

In December alone, the Mayor of Labangan in Zamboanga del Sur was gunned down at the arrival gate of Terminal 3 while in another incident, a man was able to climb over the airport perimeter fence to reach a Kuwait Airlines jet prior to being arrested by airport police. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport has consistently topped lists as one of the world's worst airports.