THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Friday it will soon deploy electronic gates at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to speed up and streamline immigration processing of passengers.
DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said the installation of e-gates is part of the government’s effort to ensure smooth travel experience, citing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s instruction to prioritize the convenience and safety of passengers.
Dizon said the e-gates are expected to be ready before the Christmas holidays, with both arrival and departure areas to be installed with e-gates.
“Even if you leave the Philippines, you will have an e-gate. There is no need to go through the manual or face-to-face,” he said.
Dizon expressed his gratitude to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado for helping replace the old e-gates, which he said needed to be equipped with new technology for seamless passenger transaction.
The e-gates will prioritize Filipinos, especially overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), with foreign tourists seen to benefit from the automated passport control system as well, according to the transport chief.
“Our priority is Filipinos first, just like in other countries. We need to put our countrymen first, especially OFWs. This is also very good news for our tourists,” Dizon said.
“This is a big deal for the travel experience of our countrymen. This is a big relief, especially during peak travel,” he said.