REP. Alexie Besas Tutor’s petition for suspension of all terminal fees in the country did not fall on deaf ears, after all.
This came as the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) has suspended at least for two months (April 17 to June 17) terminal fees for passengers passing thru its terminals.
“CPA has suspended the collection of Terminal Fees for all passengers using its passenger terminal buildings; thus, passengers no longer need to line up for payment. However, they are still required to present a valid ID and ticket upon entry,” its advisory said.
This applies to all CPA-owned and operated passenger terminals such as: Pier 1 Passenger, Pier 3 Passenger Terminal , Pier 3 Metro Ferry Terminal, Muelle Osmeña Ferry Terminal, Danao Port, Maya Port Taloot Port, Tangil Port, Punta Engaño Port, Sta. Rosa Port and Poro Port.
It was not immediately known when other ports and terminals will do the same.
Meanwhile, Congw. Kristine Alexie Besas Tutor has filed House Resolution No. 928 urging immediate government action to mitigate the impact of rising electricity costs on Filipino consumers, including the expedited release of power rebates and refunds, and the consideration of temporary tax and tariff relief.
Tutor is the chairperson of the Globalization/World Trade Organization committee of the House of Representatives and member of Visayas development committee.
In the resolution, Tutor emphasized the urgency of regulatory and fiscal interventions to ease electricity costs, noting that prompt action can provide direct relief to households and businesses.
The measure specifically urges the Energy Regulatory Commission to “expedite the resolution and implementation of pending petitions for electricity rebates and refunds that may reduce power bills for consumers nationwide.”
It also calls on economic managers to “study and consider temporary reductions or suspensions of the value-added tax (VAT) on electricity during periods of extraordinary energy price volatility.”
Further, the resolution urges concerned agencies to “explore the reduction of import tariffs on bunker fuel and other petroleum products used in power generation in order to moderate electricity generation costs.”
Tutor noted in the resolution that electricity is an essential service affecting households, businesses, and the broader economy, and that rising global fuel prices and increased demand during extreme heat conditions may lead to higher power rates if mitigating measures are not undertaken.
The measure also calls for coordinated action among government agencies to implement “immediate and practical measures that will protect Filipino consumers from rising electricity costs while ensuring reliable power supply during periods of peak electricity demand.” (RVO w/ reports from PR)
