Senator Raffy Tulfo is seeking a Senate investigation into the Bureau of Immigration’s proposal to collect a P240 border fee from all Filipinos leaving the country, including overseas Filipino workers.
Tulfo filed Senate Resolution No. 772, warning that the proposed charge could add to the expenses of millions of Filipino workers who regularly travel abroad for employment.
The senator said nearly two million returning OFWs, or Balik-Manggagawa workers, could be affected as they leave the country again after vacationing or renewing their employment contracts.
“Imposing the proposed border fee could undermine the special protections afforded to OFWs and their families under existing laws and policies intended to safeguard their welfare,” Tulfo said.
The BI said the proposed collection would help finance its P10.7-billion modernization project, which includes an integrated border security platform for 11 airports and other border crossings.
However, the bureau told Tulfo’s office that the proposal was still under negotiation and that no final decision had been made.
The BI also assured the senator that it would consult the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) before implementing the proposed fee.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac, for his part, assured Tulfo that his department would monitor the proposal and coordinate with the BI to prevent additional financial burdens on OFWs.
Cacdac also maintained that OFWs should be exempted if the fee is eventually implemented, consistent with their existing exemptions from travel tax and terminal fees.
Tulfo said he would also coordinate with the Department of Justice, which oversees the BI, to determine why funds for the agency’s modernization could not be sourced from the DOJ’s budget instead of charging Filipinos leaving the country.IMT
