Earlier today, we reported about San Miguel Corporation's New NAIA management increasing the parking fees across all terminals. With it, the new parking rates now stand at PHP 50 for the first 2 hours for four-wheeled vehicles, PHP 20 for motorcycles, and PHP 100 for buses. But what really surprised us was the jump in price for overnight parking – resulting in PHP 1,200 for overnight parking of cars, PHP 480 for motorcycles, and PHP 2,400 for buses.

With the huge price increase when it comes to parking your vehicle at NAIA Terminals 1, 2, and 3, it was not surprising that motorists and travelers were shocked. But why did the SMC's New NAIA decide to significantly jack up the prices? Amid much controversy, SMC has released a statement regarding the increase in parking fees.

According to the New NAIA Infra Corporation (NNIC), the updated parking rates were made to optimize parking facilities by prioritizing parking for passengers. They say the "adjustment" is the first in over a decade (the last one was in 2013) and is in line with MIAA Administrative Order 1 series of 2024, approved through Cabinet Resolution No. 1, series of 2024.

The NNIC mentioned that previous parking rates unintentionally encouraged misuse of the airport's limited parking spaces. The company also mentioned that nearby establishments took advantage of the low rates for overnight and short-term parking – resulting in more congested parking facilities.

With the new rates, NNIC claimed that the new fees will help prioritize passengers and discourage non-travelers from using the airport for long-term parking. Moreover, passengers will have more parking should they need to have a vehicle parked at the airport terminals.

As for the matter of the jacked-up parking fees to generate profit, NNIC claims this is not the case. “The goal is to optimize parking for our passengers. While the previous rates may have been convenient for some, they created significant disadvantages for travelers. We believe these changes will create a more efficient and passenger-friendly airport experience," said NNIC.

While SMC and NNIC say that the goal was to prioritize passengers who need parking by discouraging non-airport users, they made no statement about whether or not actual passengers can present a valid airline ticket/boarding pass indicating a flight to use the parking at rates that aren't exorbitant. They also didn't state whether employees or aircrew can present proof of flight or employment to use the parking at rates that are also reasonable to be able to make a living.

Do you think the astronomical price increase in parking fees will help decongest the parking in NAIA?