The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday said it has begun a dry run of 18 additional electronic gates (eGates) at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 as part of efforts to modernize the country’s border control system and improve passenger processing efficiency.

The bureau said the dry run started on 5 May, aimed at strengthening and digitalizing government services at the airports. It targets the completion of all planned eGates within the year.

The installation raises the total number of eGates at NAIA Terminal 3 to 30, supplementing previously deployed units aimed at speeding up immigration clearance for travelers.

The BI said the use of the automated gates is currently limited to passengers of airlines compliant with the Philippine government’s Advance Passenger Information (API) requirement. 

Eligible users during the initial phase include arriving Filipino passengers and departing Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) traveling through API-compliant airlines.

The API compliance allows immigration authorities to conduct advanced passenger screening, enabling faster and more secure border processing. 

The BI noted that nearly 90 percent of airlines operating in and out of the country are already compliant with the requirement.

The agency added that qualified foreign nationals are expected to be included in the next phase of implementation.

All eGates installed at NAIA were deployed by New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation in coordination with the government as part of broader efforts to improve airport services and strengthen border security.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the bureau remains committed to enhancing immigration services through digitalization and innovation.

“We are steadily advancing toward a more efficient and secure immigration system. The rollout of additional eGates is part of our broader effort to modernize processes not only at NAIA but also across other major international airports nationwide,” Viado said.

He also urged airlines to comply with the API requirement so that more passengers can benefit from faster and more convenient immigration processing.