KALIBO, Aklan – The management of the Kalibo International Airport (KIA) has defended what some of its passengers called a “dubious collection” of parking fees.
Engineer Eusebio Monserat, the newly installed chief of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines-Kalibo, said the collection of the parking fees is approved by the Department of Transportation.
Members of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) have requested Monserat to appear before them to answer the complaints from some of KIA’s passengers.
The parking fee collection “is part of our security measures,” said Monserat, adding that they “want to avoid congestion inside KIA.”
Vehicles entering the airport premises are required to pay a P20 parking fee good for two hours. For each succeeding hour, the airport management collects P10.
Motorists who pay the parking fee are given stubs.
“Each stub paid is being monitored by our internal auditor,” Monserat said.
But the SB said KIA must also provide official receipts to make sure that it follows the rules set by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
KIA is a government-owned and -controlled corporation, which makes it subject to all rules and regulations for government agencies, said the SB.
In 2016, several KIA personnel have been dismissed for pocketing the terminal fee collection.
KIA is among the busiest airports in the country – with Kalibo being one of the gateways to the world-famous Boracay Island.
Boracay is set to reopen to domestic and foreign tourists come Oct. 26. On Oct 15, it will start accommodating local tourists.
“We expect more passengers to come to KIA as the reopening of Boracay nears,” said Monserat./PN
