On September 9, Migrante Philippines, Network and Alliance of Consumers for National Development (SUKI Network), Bayan Muna Partylist, Association of Domestic Helpers in the Middle East (Sandigan), Gabriela Women’s Party, and Manibela protested in front of the Supreme Court to urge the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the privatization of NAIA.

NAIA service charges hike takes effect this month, including aeronautical charges for every landing, takeoff, terminal rent, tacking operations, and every flight of Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia. Terminal fees will also soar from ₱200 to ₱390 for domestic flights and from ₱550 to ₱950 for international flights.

According to Migrante, more than 8,000 OFWs leaving the country every day to provide a better life for their families will be foremost affected by the airport fee hikes.

“San Miguel’s takeover of NAIA is already hitting passengers where it hurts-our wallets. This is daylight robbery disguised as ‘modernization’. Instead of fixing decades of mismanagement, they’re squeezing travelers for profit. NAIA should serve the people, not enrich a monopoly,” Louie Montemayor of the SUKI Network said.

The increase in airport fees has further expanded the New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC)’s profits. The group said this augments NAIA’s billions of earnings in previous years. Despite this, the airport showed very little to almost no improvements.

The groups also sent an open letter to the Supreme Court, the Marcos administration, and Congress, urging the cancellation of the Concession Agreement between the Philippine government and San Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) NNIC under Ramon Ang, the suspension of unreasonable increases in airport fees, the assurance of transparency in the income review of MIAA, and to take back NAIA for the public interest.

Before the protest, St. John Neumann Migrant Center and Concerned Seafarers of the Philippines launched a signature campaign against the privatization of NAIA in August.