FILE PHOTO: An OFW avails of the hassle-free Immigration E-Gates machines at the arrival area of Davao City International Airport on Wednesday. (ARJOY M. CENIZA)
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration encouraged Filipinos arriving from their Undas break to use the electronic gates (e-gates) in the airports for faster processing.
The e-gates can lessen processing time for each passenger from the usual 45 seconds to eight seconds, Commissioner Norman Tansingco said on Thursday.
According to the BI, among 32,045 passengers who arrived at the airports on October 31, only 5,210 utilized the e-gates.
The bureau also said the number of passengers could rise to 35,000 now that the Undas is over.
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“Departures significantly increased before Undas, and we project that arrivals will rise in the next few days after the long holiday,” Tansingco said in a statement.
There are currently 21 e-gates distributed in major international airports nationwide, the BI noted.
Tansingco said they prioritize automating all BI’s services and operations in the airports.
He added that upon approval of their budget, the bureau plans to add more e-gates and replace 50% of their manual operations by 2026.