That Travel Tax Thing @ Cebu Airport
This can be at any international airport in the Philippines. A time-wasting "ceremony" that we have to deal with as Filipinos during international departures. This Travel Tax thing yes, really still a nuisance.
The process as of this departure (12/23/2016)
1] You check-in with your airline's check-in counter. After your boarding pass is printed, that agent will tell you to go to the Travel Tax Counter (itatabi muna yung boarding pass mo). He/She will usually tell you "balik ka dito pag nakuha mo na yung receipt". Good agents will say this: "di na kelangan pumila"!
2] So, you go to the Travel Tax Counter. There would usually be 2 positions. One person "only checks" documents. Dyan ka pipila, give your passport and ticket (or show the electronic copy in your phone). DO NOT give your P1,620 yet! If you tuck it your passport, that person will return the money (usually)!
3] When done checking, that person will pass your documents to another person (katabi nya usually). Take note: mostly, ingunguso nya lang that you have to transfer to the line in front of that other person sa tabi nya. There is usually a sign that says "PAYMENT" in front of that other person. You wait there.
4] When that PAYMENT person calls your name, that is the time to take out your money or credit card. You are given an OR (Official Receipt of the government - see the picture). It should be in two copies - isang puti (original) and isang pink (duplicate). Basta nya lang ibibigay sa iyo yan, without even telling you what to do next. Remember though: kasama dapat ang passport mo sa mga ibabalik nya sa iyo.
5] You go back to your check-in agent. No need to fall in line, remember? Present the travel tax receipt (they will get the pink copy, yung puti sayo yan). Then, you are given your boarding pass (and baggage tags if you had check-in baggage). Usually, an immigration card will be given with your boarding pass.
Tapos na. Umalis ka na dyan ngayon din! Proceed to the Terminal Fee Counters.
Why did I say "umalis ka na dyan ngayon din" up in that last sentence of item 5] above? Well, lingid sa iyong kaalaman, you're getting stern looks behind you, from people lining up to that check-in counter and those nearby. Sometimes they will even holler invectives at you, as if you were "jumping the line".
Ehr, in truth and in fact, you really jumped the line. Hindi ka talaga pumila, as earlier instructed by the check-in agent, di ba? Those passengers lined-up do not know you were actually there before them!
Hehe, I have seen passengers quarrel because of that. Many don't know that you already checked-in, at pinababalik lang after paying your travel tax and that you were instructed na "huwag nang pumila"!
Bakit kasi me pabalik-balik pa? Only in the Philippines! Sabi nga ni MJ "haggard, rampa ka ng rampa"!
Hassle! Yes, hasol ba! Not only for us passengers, but also for airline staff who must keep a clutter of boarding passes in their counters while waiting for us to return with a Travel Tax Official Receipt. Hah!
Not only that, you will notice, check-in counters usually have many bags scattered around the agents. They keep jumping over them, di ba? And you would wonder, why they are not loading them on those conveyor belts behind them. The reason? Just like with the boarding passes, they are waiting for you to return with your travel tax official receipt, before they could release those! Daw kagamo ba la 'no?!
Now.., if you noticed, I only mentioned issues during the end part - item 5] above. There are others!
Example: On items 2] and 3], where there are two lines in one counter. Pag mahaba na yung pila, you can't anymore see where the "Document Check" is, and where the "Payment" is. So, epecially some of our OFW friends, minsan ang tagal na nila sa pila, only to find out wrong line pala! Maano ba naman ilagay nalang Step 1 and Step 2, na malalaki at mataas, para kita agad. Or checker/cashier na dapat.
I like tis topic: Can we pay this Travel Tax before going to the check-in counters?
Yes you can. But when I asked, the Travel Tax Collectors said they encourage passengers to check-in first before paying the Travel Tax. They prefer that you present a boarding pass as document instead of just the ticket. On the other hand, when I asked the check-in people (of Air Asia, CebPac and Tiger Air), they prefer that you go to their check-in counters ONLY if you already have your travel tax receipt!
They have their reasons for saying so. The airline people (in this case) think as we the passengers do - bakit kelangan magpabalikbalik, eh pwede naman (at dapat) hindi. Only in the Philippines - Magulo!
The tax collectors also have their reasons! They say "what if hindi ka naman pala kelangan magbayad ng travel tax". They say they will have to process a refund which is tedious and time-consuming. Their view therefore, which is the staus quo, "let the airline tell you kung kelangan ka pa magbayad ng travel tax o hindi - dahil yung ibang tickets kasama na ang travel tax sa binayaran, yung iba naman hindi pa".
Hesumalusep! Lalo dumami ang tanong ko! Mas maalam ang airline sayo tungkol sa patakaran mo?
Hmm, as for me, halata kung saan merong hindi maayos mag-isip. Hello gobyerno! Bakit kasi iba-iba ang paraan para isagawa ang isang patakaran? Yung iba kasama sa ticket, yung iba hindi. Duh! Dyan nagsisimula ang kalbaryo naming mga karaniwang mamamayan na pasahero - at mga airline staff na kailangan magpa-hold-"hold the boarding pass and baggage while awaiting for the travel tax receipt"!
Me nakakalimot: safety-and-security comfort-and-convenience OF PASSENGERS.
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