Travel—and transporting goods—might get a bit lighter on the wallet soon. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that it will roll out reduced terminal fees across select airports and ports beginning in April, as part of efforts to ease costs for both passengers and businesses.
Photo: Rocker Sta/Unsplash
According to DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez, airports managed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) will implement cuts of up to ₱200 per passenger in terminal fees. Airlines are also expected to benefit from lower takeoff and landing charges, with possible savings of up to ₱5,000. These adjustments will take effect on April 1 and are set to last for three months.
On the maritime side, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has recommended a sharp drop in Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) terminal fees. For certain vehicle classes—specifically Classes 3 and 4—the fee may be reduced from hundreds of pesos to just ₱1.
The move is intended to support the transport of essential goods, including agricultural and fishery products, as well as livestock and poultry. By lowering logistics costs, the government hopes this will help temper the prices of basic commodities.
If approved, the reduced RoRo fees will be implemented in PPA-operated ports no later than April 15, 2026, and will remain in effect for six months.
The announcement comes shortly after an increase in fuel surcharges for flights, which took effect earlier. For domestic routes, surcharges have risen significantly depending on distance, while international flights are also seeing higher additional fees.
With both changes happening around the same time, it remains to be seen how the reduced terminal fees will balance out overall travel and transport costs in the coming months.
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