The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is reviewing a P10.74-billion unsolicited Public-Private Partnership proposal to implement an artificial intelligence-driven border security system across the country’s international gateways.
Known as the Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services project, the initiative aims to modernize border control beyond the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) without utilizing government funds.
Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the proposed system would deploy biometrics, electronic gates, and real-time data sorting to flag human traffickers, terrorists, and other high-risk travelers before they enter or leave the country.
"The beauty of this project is that it is end-to-end," Sandoval said in a recent interview. "From the frontline, data processing, data collection, to data assessment, it is provided by this entire system. And it is not centralized only in NAIA."
If approved, the project will cover 11 functioning international airports, one international seaport in Zamboanga, and six border crossing stations. The airport rollout includes gateways in Clark, Davao, Mactan-Cebu, Boracay, Iloilo, Kalibo, Laoag, Bohol-Panglao, Puerto Princesa, and Zamboanga.
The modernization package complies with the biometric and border security standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization, a Montreal-based U.N. specialized agency. Features include advanced passenger information systems, automated border control with contactless face passes, biometric kiosks, criminal record search engines, and deception detection tools.
Sandoval cited that the project includes a mandatory four-year technology refresh cycle, ensuring the bureau utilizes current technology at no additional expense to taxpayers.
The financing model relies entirely on user fees collected from travelers who use the system.
"It will have zero financial burden to the government because only those who use the service will pay for it," Sandoval said. "Our fellow citizens who will not use the service will not be burdened financially."
The proposal has already undergone a Swiss challenge, a competitive bidding process where alternative firms are invited to submit superior or lower-cost offers. Sandoval said the bureau reached out to technology companies in the industry, but no counter-proposals were received.
The Department of Finance, the Department of Justice, and the Office of the Solicitor General have reviewed the proposal. However, Sandoval clarified that the project is not yet final, no contracts have been signed, and no fees are currently being collected.
Officials are weighing the security benefits against the potential costs to ordinary Filipino travelers.
"It is a delicate balance between what this can contribute to our country in general and what its costs are," Sandoval said, adding that the bureau will defer to the direction of the national government and the President before finalizing a decision.
