DOLE seeks P550 million refund from CAAP

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) asked the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) anew to refund P550 million in terminal fees collected from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

In a press conference, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said the DOLE sent another letter to the CAAP, reiterating its request for the CAAP to stop collecting terminal fees from OFWs and to return the collected fees to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

He said OFWs are exempt from paying travel taxes and terminal fees, but the CAAP continued to do so since 2015. While OFWs may refund the fees, many of them do not want to fall in line, Bello added.

Once DOLE is able to get the refund from CAAP, Bello said, OFWs can go to OWWA to get their money back.

A CAAP official who asked not to be identified said the passengers going through the 11 commercial airports under its jurisdication are mostly tourists.

He said most OFWs go through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Clark International Airport and the Mactan Cebu International Airport. – Rudy Santos