Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to reduce Passenger Service Charges (PSC) and airport navigation fees in airports operated by the agency.
The move aims to lower operating costs for airlines and possibly reduce airfare for passengers.
Lopez said the CAAP and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) are working to ease the burden on travelers as global jet fuel prices surge due to the war in the Middle East.
He noted that jet fuel prices nearly doubled—from US$90.87 per barrel on February 19 to US$188.2 per barrel on March 9.
To help passengers benefit faster from any drop in fuel prices, the CAB also shortened the evaluation and implementation period for fuel surcharge adjustments from one month to 15 days.
Currently, the fuel surcharge for domestic flights ranges from ₱117 to ₱342 under Level 4, depending on the distance. For international flights, the surcharge ranges from ₱385.70 to ₱2,867.82.
For cargo, airlines may charge ₱0.60 to ₱1.76 per kilogram for domestic shipments and ₱1.98 to ₱14.74 per kilogram for international cargo under the same level.
Airline fuel surcharges are optional fees collected by airlines to offset rising fuel costs.
Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) showed that fuel prices rose 64.4 percent to US$157.41 per barrel as of March 6, 2026, and were 74.8 percent higher compared with the same period in 2025.
The government said it will continue monitoring fuel prices and working with the aviation industry to keep air travel safe, reliable, and affordable for the public.
