Actress and content creator Sharlene San Pedro drew attention online after expressing frustration over a proposed immigration fee that could soon be charged to travelers departing and arriving in the Philippines.
In a now-deleted Facebook post uploaded on May 29, Sharlene candidly shared her thoughts while playing a mobile game, reacting to reports about the proposed ₱480 fee being considered by the Bureau of Immigration.
The proposed charge is intended to help fund the Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services (CAISS) project, a public-private partnership aimed at modernizing border security systems across 11 international airports, one seaport, and several mobile border stations nationwide.
The project includes upgrades such as biometric verification systems, automated self-service e-gates, an Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), and real-time traveler screening and risk assessment tools.
However, Sharlene questioned the additional cost, pointing out that travelers already pay existing travel taxes before leaving the country.
“Ano ito, bakit magtsa-charge ang immigration ng ₱480 per passenger? E, ’di ba nagbabayad na ng travel tax pag aalis? Ang dami ninyong pinababayaran sa amin? Hindi naman maayos-ayos ang gobyerno!” she said in the video.
The actress added that many Filipinos continue to shoulder numerous taxes and fees while still facing frustrations over government services.
“Hindi bale sana kung maayos, e, magbabayad talaga kami. Nakakaiirita. Kung alam n’yo lang kung magkano ang binabayaran namin taun-taon sa tax na ’yan kaya talagang nakakabuwisit,” she remarked.
Sharlene also encouraged Filipinos to pay closer attention to the taxes embedded in everyday purchases and transactions.
“Kaya matuto kayong tumingin-tingin sa mga resibong binabayaran n’yo. May tax din doon, nagbabayad din kayo hindi n’yo lang alam,” she said.
The actress eventually shifted the discussion toward civic responsibility and urged the public to become more discerning during elections.
“Bumoto kayo sa susunod na eleksyon. Mag-research kayo sa iboboto n’yo, hindi ’yung boto lang kayo nang boto,” she stressed.
She also criticized vote-buying practices and questioned why some voters continue to support politicians despite ongoing concerns in their communities.
“Pumapayag kayo sa isang kilong bigas, sa isang kaban na bigas? Bakit kayo pumapayag? Tuwing eleksyon lang kayo naaalala ng mga ’yan,” she added.
Although the original Facebook post has since been removed, clips of Sharlene’s remarks were reuploaded by social media users and quickly circulated online. One repost on X reportedly garnered hundreds of thousands of views and thousands of reposts, sparking debate among netizens about government fees, taxation, and voter accountability.
As of writing, neither the Bureau of Immigration nor other government agencies involved in the proposed CAISS project have publicly responded to Sharlene’s remarks.
