OFWs complain of delays in terminal fee refunds

Some OFWs are complaining about long delays in the refund of the terminal fee that they paid at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), according to JP Soriano's report on "24 Oras" Friday night.
One of them is Michelle Paras, who said she had been in and out of the country several times but has yet to successfully claim her refunds due to the long lines at the airport.
"Baka maiwan ka ng airplane, 'di kawawa naman. Masakit yun kasi pinaghirapan namin yun. Kumbaga, pinaghirapan mo na, pahihirapan ka pa," Paras said in the report.
By law, OFWs, athletes and pilgrims are exempted from paying the P550 terminal fee, which has been integrated into airline tickets since 2014.
Under Manila International Airport Authority Memorandum Circular No. 8, OFWs, athletes, and pilgrims may claim the terminal fee or the International Passenger Service Charge (IPSC) they paid for at designated counters at NAIA.
MIAA spokesperson David de Castro said there is no deadline in claiming terminal fee refunds and that unclaimed funds are safely tucked away in MIAA's account.
"Their money is safely kept in MIAAs account pending refund. Now, if you check our policies, wala rin po tayong deadline sa pag refund ng ating terminal fee," De Castro said in the report.
He added MIAA may add more personnel to refund counters to speed up services while they develop a system to expedite the terminal fee refund.
"Kung kinakailangan magdagdag pa ng mas maraming tao, magdadagdag tayo," De Castro said.
"We are looking into a system kung saan automatically ma-identify through online processes na isa kang OFW at hindi mo na kailangan bayaran pa 'yung terminal fee," he added.
A permanent injunction case filed by OFW groups against the MIAA seeking to stop the implementation of the IPSC Integration Program is still pending with the court, the report said. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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