President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Administrative Order No. 24, institutionalizing the government’s eTravel system to streamline border control and health surveillance for international travelers.
The three-page order, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on August 27, designates eTravel as a one-stop electronic declaration system for all inbound and outbound passengers. It takes effect immediately upon publication.
“The eTravel (Electronic Travel Information) system is hereby institutionalized as the government’s one-stop electronic travel declaration system for all international inbound and outbound passengers and crew members,” the administrative order stated.
A Technical Working Group (TWG) led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) will manage the system. The group will also include the Department of Tourism, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Quarantine, and Bureau of Customs.
The President urged full cooperation from all relevant government agencies and emphasized compliance with the Data Privacy Act.
Moreover, the funding for the eTravel system will come from existing budgets, with continued support included in future budget proposals.
Launched in December 2022, the eTravel system streamlined travel declarations and was expanded in April 2023 to cover all international passengers.
