Travel agencies oppose plan to charge airlines for BOCs personnel OT

An association of travel agency operators is opposing the plan of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to charge the overtime fees of airport personnel to airlines.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) said the draft Customs Administrative Order (CAO) on customs service fees “contradicts the basic principles of labor laws.”

Section 3 of the order, which forms part of the implementing rules and regulations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (Republic Act No. 10863), proposes that customs services will be rendered not less than eight hours per day for five days a week, exclusive of lunch time — or from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the PTAA noted.

Section 4 of the order sought a P30,000 aircraft supervision fee that the BOC can charge from airlines or their agents “for every aircraft engaged in foreign commerce that landed and departed from an international airport of entry and where customs services are rendered,” the PTAA added.

“Under the provision, services included tagging of estimated time of arrival (ETA) and actual time of arrival (ATA), issuance of entrance and clearance permits, conducting of boarding formalities, supervision of the loading and unloading of cargoes, underguarding of cargoes and aircrafts, clearance of passengers and baggage, storage and release of held baggage, and other related services,” the PTAA said.