The Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) clarified on Wednesday that unrefunded terminal fee collection amounting to almost P300 million is intact and deposited in a trust fund.
“The amount is kept by Miaa in a trust account and is distinct and separate from the agency’s corporate funds,” General Manager Ed V. Monreal said.
He added: “The money does not belong to Miaa. It will remain in the trust account until fully refunded to the passengers who own them.”
He added that only overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), can claim their unrefunded terminal fee, anytime.
Monreal made the clarification after Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III was reported to have written the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) to remit the unrefunded fee to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
The Miaa chief said domestic terminal fees remitted to Miaa amounted to P172,333,700. This amount came from Cebu Pacific Air and CebGo.
Monreal added that P105,320,679 was remitted to Miaa by 18 international carriers representing the unrefunded international fees from OFWs and non-OFW passengers.
“The total amount remitted to Miaa by all air carriers is P277,654,379 as of November 6, 2018. [The amount obviously doesn’t tally with] the P500-million [figure] which came out in news reports earlier this week,” Monreal pointed out.
“OFWs only need to present their copy of their Overseas Employment Certificate and ticket among others, to avail of their refund,” he said.