Use NAIA e-gates, BI urges Pinoy travelers
MANILA, Philippines — Incoming Filipino travelers should use electronic gates or e-gates upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and other major international airports in the country, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said yesterday.
The e-gates, according to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, can lessen processing time from the usual 45 seconds to as briefly as eight seconds.
The BI is prioritizing the automation of all its services, particularly for airports, he said.
Currently, there are a total of 21 e-gates in major international airports nationwide.
Data shows that on Oct. 31, a total of 32,045 passengers arrived but only 5,210 utilized the e-gates.
“Departures significantly increased before Undas, and we project that arrivals will rise in the next few days after the long holiday,” said Tansingco, referring to the observance of All Souls’ and Saints’ Days on Nov. 1 and 2.
The BI recorded 32,352 departures on Oct. 31 and projects that this could rise to 35,000 in the next few days.
Tansingco said that upon approval of the BI’s budget, officials are planning to add more e-gates and replace 50 percent of the BI’s manual operations by 2026.
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