Gov’t to slash customs and other fees in Subic

By Elaine Ruzul S. Ramos, Manila Standard Today

THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority is looking at the possibility of slashing its customs, immigration and quarantine fees to encourage more carries to fly to the Freeport.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza told reporters the Freeport imposes $700 for customs, immigration and quarantine fees for each airline, compared to $300 that the Clark special economic zone charged.

He said the SBMA earlier cut its aeronautical fess by 80 percent on weekdays and 60 percent on weekdays to lure more cargo and passenger airlines to land at Subic.

Aeronautical fees cover the cost of landing and takeoff, parking, lighting and other operational charges such as use of navigation al equipment, radar and the likes.

Arreza said several low cost carriers were looking at flying in and out of the Freeport.

“Two budget airlines from Hong Kong and Macau are planning to add Subic to their destinations. Two chartered flights from China as well as one flight from Gulf Air to service the Middle East market is also on the pipeline.