Malacañang on Tuesday sought to ease public concerns over a proposed P240 charge on airline passengers, stressing that the measure remains under study and has not been approved by the government.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the proposal from the Bureau of Immigration is still in its preliminary stages and has not yet reached the point of implementation.

"Sa ngayon ito ay proposal pa lamang according to BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado. So, wala pa po itong anumang desisyon, wala pa pong nararating ito. Ito ay mere proposal. So, huwag po munang mag-alala ang ating mga kababayan dahil mas nauna po talaga silang mag-react. Wala pa po ito," Castro said during a Palace briefing.

The Bureau of Immigration is proposing a P240 fee to be collected from departing and arriving airline passengers to help finance the Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services modernization program, a P10.74-billion project aimed at strengthening border control and passenger processing systems.

Castro urged the public not to be alarmed by reports surrounding the proposal, noting that government agencies are still studying its implications.

"Dapat itong maisakatuparan sa paraang malinaw, makatarungan at may tiwala ang publiko. But still, ito po ay nasa stage pa ng pag-aaral, kaya wala pa pong stance ang Pangulo patungkol dito," she added.

The proposed modernization project includes the installation of biometric electronic gates, screening systems and other security technologies in 11 international airports and various ports of entry across the country.

Malacañang emphasized that no final decision has been made on the proposal and that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to take a position on the matter.