OFWs to Fight Until the P550 Terminal Fee Integration is Abolished
Audrey, Nov 25, 2014
Everything seems to fall in favour of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) battle against the terminal fee integration.
OFWs Rejoice: ITF Suspended by Pasay RTC
With Senator Koko Pimentel first agreeing to the OFWs disapproval of the ITF as a violation followed by the Pasay Regional Trial Court’s ruling a twenty-day suspension of the Integrated Terminal Fee’s implementation, the Pasay RTC gave a final verdict that MIAA’s Memorandum Circular Order 8 is indeed unenforceable, giving a big sigh of relief for OFWs.
This is after the court found out that the memorandum lacks proper legal implementation when it fails to announce it through publication in a newspaper of national circulation for everybody to be informed.
According to the decision made by presiding Judge Tingaraan Guiling, Memorandum Circular No. 8 needs publication as mandated by law, as well as jurisprudence, which made it unenforceable.
OFW Family Party List Representative Roy V. Seneres is also pleased with the court’s decision, saying that it has stopped depriving OFWs of their right to be exempted from payment of airport terminal fees.
Meanwhile, an OFW group said they are willing to take this battle on to the next level – the Congress. The OFW’s will not end their protest, not until the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) terminates the P550 terminal fee integration on purchased plane tickets overseas and online.
The OFW group will continue their case to Congress, which for them is the only authority that can halt the ITF since they made the law exempting OFWs from paying terminal fee.
“We still hold a firm belief that a mere circular violates the 1995 Migrant Workers Act,” the OFW group said.
OFWs definitely felt triumph upon Pasay RTC’s final ruling about the terminal fee integration. But the battle is still on, as Sen. Koko Pimentel and OFW Family Party List Rep. Roy Seneres both filed resolutions for deeper investigations of the ITF.
Related articles:
OFW Groups Want TRO vs Terminal Fee Integration
Senator Agreed with OFWs: Terminal Fee a Violation