Senate Committee on Migrant Workers Chairperson Senator Raffy Tulfo has filed Senate resolution No. 772 seeking to investigate the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) proposal to impose a ₱240 border fee on all Filipinos departing the country, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
In filing Senate Resolution (SR) No. 772, Tulfo expressed concern over the proposed border fee, saying it would place an additional financial burden on nearly two million OFW rehires, also known as Balik-Manggagawa workers, who leave the country again after taking a vacation 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,” the legislator said.
“The fee will help fund the Bureau of Immigration’s modernization project which involves the installation of a ₱10.7-billion integrated border security platform across 11 airports nationwide.”
According to the BI, the said fee would help fund the agency’s modernization project which involves the installation of a ₱10.7-billion integrated border security platform across 11 airports nationwide, as well as to various border crossings.
However, the lawmaker stressed that the proposed collection would still mean an additional expense for OFWs. Aside from filing the resolution, his Senate office immediately coordinated with the BI, which explained that the proposal remains at the negotiation stage and that no final decision has been reached.
The BI also assured the senator that it would consult the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) before implementing the proposed fee.
He likewise called DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac to express his concern over the proposal. Cacdac assured him that the department would closely monitor the issue and coordinate with the BI to ensure that the measure would not become an additional burden on Filipino modern-day heroes.
“Should the border fee eventually be implemented, OFWs must remain exempted.”
He further stressed that should the border fee eventually be implemented, OFWs must remain exempted, consistent with their existing exemptions from travel tax and terminal fees.
Tulfo is also set to coordinate with the Department of Justice (DOJ), under which the BI operates as an attached agency. He intends to seek clarification on why funds allocated for the DOJ’s modernization cannot be used to improve immigration security systems, rather than requiring Filipinos traveling abroad to shoulder additional fees.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, Tulfo vowed to closely monitor developments surrounding the proposal to ensure that it would not become a hindrance to the right of Filipinos to travel abroad, particularly overseas Filipino workers.
