Senator Raffy Tulfo has filed a resolution calling for a Senate investigation into the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) proposed ₱240 border fee for departing Filipinos, including overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Senate Resolution No. 772 seeks to review the planned collection, which Tulfo noted could burden nearly two million returning OFWs, or Balik-Manggagawa workers, who head back abroad after spending their vacations or renewing employment contracts in the Philippines.
“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 proposed the fee to help finance its ₱10.7-billion modernization project, which involves setting up an integrated border security platform across 11 national airports and various border crossings.
While Tulfo questioned the necessity of levying extra charges on departing citizens, the BI informed his office that the proposal remains under negotiation and is not yet final. The bureau also committed to consulting the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) before making any final decisions.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac assured Tulfo that the DMW would monitor the situation and coordinate with the BI to protect overseas workers from additional financial burdens. Cacdac further asserted that OFWs should be exempted if the fee is implemented, given their existing exemptions from terminal fees and travel taxes.
As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, Tulfo also intends to ask the Department of Justice—the BI’s parent agency—why existing modernization funds cannot be utilized instead of imposing new fees on travelers.
He emphasized that he will continue tracking the issue to ensure the policy does not hinder international travel for Filipinos.