THE cost of passenger terminal fee at the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City will double in two years as the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) implements adjustment on a staggered basis.

Caap Eastern Visayas area manager Antonio Alfonso said that from the newly adjusted P75 rate per passenger, terminal fee will hike to P100 by June 2014 and P150 by June 2015.

Alfonso said the yearly increase until 2015 was already approved by the Caap board, directing to implement adjustments starting this year.

Caap started to raise the terminal fee from P30 to P75 last July 1.

"Based on the data collected during the consultations last year, the Caap board decided to increase the rate on a staggered basis," Alfonso told Leyte Samar Daily Express.

The terminal fee in Catarman Airport (Northern Samar), Calbayog Airport (Samar), and Ormoc Airport (Leyte) were also raised from P20 to p50.

Meanwhile, community airports in Maasin in Southern Leyte, Naval in Biliran, Hilongos in Leyte, Guiuan in Eastern Samar, Catbalogan City in Samar, and Borongan City in Eastern Samar adjusted their terminal fee from P10 to P30.

By mid-2014, the passenger terminal fee will hike to P100 in Ormoc City, and P50 for all community airports.

In 2015, the rate in Catarman will be P100 per departing passenger.

Alfonso noted that the generated additional income will not be for Caap but for the recovery cost of various improvements and maintenance of airport facilities.

The P30 rate has been implemented since 1997. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)