Councilor: Plan to hike airport terminal fee unjustifiable

THE plan of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) to increase the terminal fee for passengers using the Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport here is not justifiable to be implemented now.

This was voiced out by Councilor Jerry Yaokasin, who opposes the proposed increase of terminal fee at DZR airport from P30 to P200.

“The increase on the terminal fee which the Caap wanted to implement soon is not justifiable because of the state of the DZR airport right now. We can only collect P200 if we have convenient facilities being used,” Yaokasin said.

According to him, airports in other places of the country collects P200 terminal fee because passengers feel convenient on the facilities available at their terminal area.

“In the city, we have to maintain collecting P30 terminal fee only, unless and until the terminal building would be fully renovated,” Yaokasin said.

The councilor shared that the airport’s x-ray machine at the entrance is not even functioning.

Furthermore, the official believes the airport would immediately be renovated soonest by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), especially that President Benigno Aquino III included the rehab of DZR airport in his State of the Nation Address (Sona).

The councilor personally attended the second public hearing initiated by Caap Thursday held at the VIP lounge of DZR airport.

On the other hand, Yaokasin said if ever the Caap or the DOTC needs support from the local government unit (LGU), he would then suggest to the executive department to take a loan for the rehabilitation purposes.

The official suggested that DZR airport would also be constructed by a private entity, just like the construction of the Caticlan airport, which was done by the San Miguel Corporation. They made the terminal through a Borrow-Operate-Transfer (BOT) scheme.

Moreover, Yaokasin said if the fund of the City Government would not be sufficient, the management could also ask help from senators, congressmen, party-list group as well as non-government organizations (NGO).

“Making the terminal fee is very necessary since the city is considered as the prime city of the region and for us to compete with other airports in the country. In fact, there is an issue that a new flight from Tacloban to Iloilo would be opened soon,” Yaokasin said. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)