The Bureau of Immigration (BI) launched yesterday its electronic gate system (E-Gate) project in a bid to further improve the processing of international passengers and reduce the long queues of travelers at the airports.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the scheme will cut the standard processing time for every traveler to only about eight to 15 seconds from the present average of 45 seconds.
Morente said that aside from facilitating expeditious passenger processing, the project will also enhance the BI’s ability to pinpoint or detect travelers with derogatory records, including wanted fugitives.
“This project could not have come at a more opportune time in view of the steadily increasing volume of international flights and travelers that enter and exit the country everyday,” the BI chief said.
Morente disclosed that the E-Gates are equipped with modern security features such as facial recognition, biometric scanning, bar code reading, and smart card recognition all rolled into one system.
A total of 21 E-Gates will be installed and operational before the year ends in five major international airports. (Jun Ramirez)
