MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to upgrade the electronic gates (e-gates) at the country’s international airports for a smoother and faster arrival experience.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Thursday that travelers can expect the removal of boarding pass scans at the e-gates, reducing processing time for arriving passengers.
The bureau is currently integrating airline data with the e-gates to lessen the number of steps required for passengers.
BI noted that some passengers encounter issues using the e-gates when their flight record is not yet integrated with the system. This results in passengers needing to transfer to regular counters for manual processing.
Tansingco added that e-gates are also being upgraded to be label-free.
“Instead of printing a sticker to be attached on the passport, passengers will receive an email acknowledging their arrival. This is the best practice that we are emulating from other countries,” he said.
According to Tansingco, the bureau has initiated the procurement of additional e-gates, aiming to replace 25% of manual operations at the Philippines’ major international airport. — Gaea Katreena Cabico