Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla and Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado conducted a joint inspection of the BI's electronic gates (e-gates) at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Tuesday, May 27.
Through the expansion of its e-gate program, the BI is accelerating its digital transformation, with the goal of enhancing efficiency in immigration procedures while maintaining national security.
As part of the inspection, Viado presented an operational briefing to Remulla and toured him around the newly launched Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) wing at NAIA.
Viado noted that the Bureau has introduced improvements to make the processing of travelers—especially OFWs and returning Filipinos—quicker and more efficient.
Remulla, on the other hand, observed the BI’s e-gates in action at major international terminals.
These systems, which rely on biometric verification, enable faster immigration clearance—processing eligible passengers in as little as eight seconds.
Viado also reported that the BI is currently in the process of acquiring more than 100 additional e-gates for deployment across all international airports.
This initiative aims to reduce congestion, minimize queues, and provide a more seamless arrival and departure experience for Filipino travelers, particularly OFWs.
"While our current operations have significantly improved in recent years, we recognize the need to continuously innovate," said Viado.
“The expansion of the e-gate program is part of our Bagong Immigration initiative, fully aligned with the President’s call for a Bagong Pilipinas—an efficient, technology-driven government that puts the public first,” he added.
The BI is expected to deploy the additional e-gates before the end of the year.
