UMVA has learned that the Civil Aeronautics Board has cut the air passenger fuel surcharge for the third time in a row, lowering it to Level 13 for the period of June 1‑15.
At this new level, domestic travelers will see surcharges ranging from P423 to P1,237, while international flyers face fees between P1,396.74 and P10,385.42, depending on the distance of their journey.
Airlines that collect these surcharges in foreign currency must apply a conversion rate of P61.45 to the dollar for the June 1‑15 window.
The surcharge adjustments follow the Mean of Platts Singapore benchmark, a standard used to mirror the volatile swings in jet fuel prices.
Since May 1, the board has been steadily easing the burden, after the surcharge peaked at Level 19 for April 16‑30—just one notch below the maximum allowable Level 20.
Jet fuel prices have slipped 1.7% week over week, settling at $159.85 per barrel as of May 22, though they remain 77.5% higher than a year ago.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy reports that the Philippines consumes an average of 5.65 million liters of jet fuel daily, with current reserves enough to sustain operations for 66 days.
In response to recent turmoil in the Middle East, the board shifted from a monthly to a 15‑day monitoring cycle in April, allowing faster adjustments to the surcharge as fuel markets fluctuate.
According to sources, this accelerated review will stay in place until regional conditions stabilize, ensuring travelers are not overburdened by sudden price spikes.
