Shipping firm’s P20 lounge fee questioned

CEBU, Philippines — Jomalia Shipping Corporation may face criminal and civil cases from the Cebu provincial government for continuing to collect the P20 lounge fee at Danao City port, according to Capitol legal consultant Atty. Rory Jon Sepulveda.

A staff member of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office who inspected the port operations last November 14,15 and 22 discovered that Jomalia continues to charge the P20 lounge fee from passengers despite orders from the governor to stop the collection.

Sepulveda said that this collection qualifies as an act of extortion, making Jomalia liable for criminal and civil charges from the Province of Cebu.

Last November 7, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia met with representatives from Jomalia along with members of the Cebu Port Authority, Marina and fifth district representative Vincent Franco ‘Duke’ Frasco to discuss the existence of the “dubious” lounge fee on top of the regular P5 terminal fee.

It was discovered that Jomalia and other shipping lines have moved their ticketing booths inside Sands Mall in Danao while the Danao Port underwent renovations. The area also functions as a waiting area for passengers.

Representatives from Jomalia admitted that they have been collecting the P20 in lieu of paying rent to Sands.

Since the discovery, Garcia ordered for the ticketing booths to return to the entrance of the port and the scrapping of the lounge fee. While Jomalia and other shipping lines complied, Jomalia’s original booth still remained inside the mall.

This, according to representatives, is because they need internet for their online transactions. Only passengers who choose to wait in the waiting lounge in Sands instead of in the passenger waiting area will be charged P20.

However, the members of PENRO who inspected the site claimed that passengers travelling at dawn are still forced to pay the fee because Jomalia’s ticketing booth in the Danao Port would be left unmanned.

Frasco, prior to this action by the Province of Cebu, filed House Bill No. 304 for the committee on transportation to investigate the existence of the fee increase.

He later furnished a copy of the resolution to the governor as the bill is yet to be scheduled for hearing. JMD (FREEMAN)