BUREAU of Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado defended a proposed P240 service fee for an expanded border security system, saying it is significantly lower than similar charges in other countries.
The P10.74 billion Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services (CAISS) project, proposed by US-based Securiport LLC, would cover 11 airports and borders.
Under the proposed public-private partnership, the private partner would finance the project and recover costs through a $4 fee per international traveler, or about P240, incorporated into airline tickets.
The $4 fee is “way below” that charged by US, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan, Viado said during a House hearing on the proposed 2027 budget of the Department of Justice (DoJ) and its attached agencies.
Australia charges about P2,600 per passenger. Singapore P2,400. Japan P1,200, Hong Kong P1,500, and Thailand P1,800, he added.
The CAISS project includes access to billions of facial images, risk scoring, and integration with Interpol's global network covering 194 countries.
It aims to combat human trafficking, smuggling, terrorism, money laundering, tax evasion, and organized crime.
Viado said the charge would be a service fee, not a tax, and travelers rather than ordinary taxpayers, should shoulder the cost.
He said foreign employers would shoulder the fee for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) under existing recruitment rules.
The government will receive 5 percent of the projected P202 billion in collections over 20 years, and the private proponent 95 percent.
Viado said the government share would go to the National Treasury for the agency’s projects.
He assured lawmakers that the government will retain control of immigration data. “The proponent only provides the tools and teaches our people how to operate them. But ultimately, the control—they will have no control over the data,” he said.
Viado said the contract for the project “is still under review. We have not signed any contract."
The proposed fee is also being reviewed by the Department of Finance, Office of the Solicitor General and Public-Private Partnership Center.
