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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Wala pa po ito': Palace says P240 immigration fee remains a proposal

'Wala pa po ito': Palace says P240 immigration fee remains a proposal

Published Jun 2, 2026 03:07 pm

At A Glance

  • Malacañang urged the public to remain calm over the proposed immigration fee, saying it's just a mere proposal.
  • Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the proposal could be rejected and not be implemented.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Malacañang said the proposed P240 immigration fee for travelers entering and leaving the country remains under study and has not yet been approved.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro called on the public to remain calm as the proposal could be rejected and not implemented, clarifying that no decision has been made regarding its implementation.
"Sa ngayon po, ito ay proposal pa lamang po, according to Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado. So, wala pa po itong anumang desisyon, wala pa pong nararating ito. Ito ay mere proposal (As of now, this is only a proposal according to Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado. So, there is no decision yet; this has yet to progress. This is just a mere proposal)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, June 2.
"So, huwag po munang mag-alala ang ating mga kababayan dahil mas nauna po talaga silang mag-react. Wala pa po ito (So, our fellow citizens should not worry for now because they were the first to react. This is not yet in effect)," Castro added.
The proposed fee would reportedly help fund modernization and upgrades to the immigration system to strengthen border security and improve services for travelers.
Castro noted that the objective of having a safer and more modern border control system is important, but emphasized that any measure must be implemented in a transparent, fair, and credible manner.
She further said that the President has not yet taken a position on the matter, as it remains a proposal.
"Kaya nga, huwag natin munang pangunahan inaral pa po. So, huwag muna tayong maalarma wala pa po ito (Let us not get ahead of things; it is still being studied. So, there is no need to be alarmed because this is not yet in place)," Castro stressed.
"Kaya nga po proposal pa lang. So, puwedeng barilin, puwedeng hindi ipatupad, puwedeng hindi matuloy. So, kaya huwag muna tayong maalarma dahil wala pa po talaga ito – it’s just a proposal (This is only a proposal. It could be rejected, it may not be implemented, or it may not push through. So, there is really no need to be alarmed because it is just a proposal)," she added.
The Bureau of Immigration also clarified that a proposed fee tied to its border system modernization project is still being reviewed and has not yet been approved.

Related Tags

immigration fee Bureau of Immigration President Marcos Claire Castro Malacañang
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