New airport management to set up e-passport gates

CEBU, Philippines - GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation has invested nearly $250 thousand to put up electronic passport or e-passport gates for Filipinos at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

GMCAC, which will officially take over MCIA management by November 1, 2014, committed to make the facility available to Filipino travelers before the year ends.

GMCAC chief executive advisor Andrew Acquaah-Harrison said the e-passport gates will be first of its kind in an airport in the country.

“With the new passport scanner machines, this will help make faster immigration reentering process for Philippine Passport Holders. So no more lines for Filipinos, you just tap your passport and pass the immigration gates,” said Harrison adding that the company already coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration in order to provide the e-gates system at no cost to the government.

Harrison said the company provides this system as a feature for Filipinos traveling out or returning.

"We think it’s important that when you’re coming home, you feel a sense of welcome and differentiation,” he said.

On the other hand, foreign nationals would still have to go through the normal immigration process but the process will be “much faster” when GMCAC puts in improvements.

Harrison said that the company’s top priority is to reduce queuing and congestion at the existing terminal that now handles close to seven million passengers in 2013.

“Terminal one is obviously beyond capacity. We don’t want to turn it into a construction site because then it will be extremely inconvenient. We are trying to improve the areas without disrupting passenger flow,” he said.  (FREEMAN)