BI to install more e-gates at Clark, Cebu, Davao airports

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Tuesday that it will install additional biometric immigration electronic gates (e-gates) in major airports outside Metro Manila.

BI Deputy Spokesperson Melvin Mabulac said that the use of e-gates at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3 has significantly sped up the immigration process for many travelers.

“When we implemented the e-gates, the process took around 5 to 15 seconds; it is truly very fast, and many users are very satisfied," he said in an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

Under the new system, e-gates let travelers pass through airport immigration without waiting in long lines.

Passengers scan their passports and verify their identity using a fingerprint or facial scan.

If the system confirms their details, the gate opens automatically. Mismatches are referred to an immigration officer for further verification.

Mabulac clarified, however, that the use of e-gates is still not standard for all airport passengers.

"For now, the system is being used by Filipinos only, but once everything is fully operational, it will be expanded to include foreign nationals and will also cover departures,” he said.

The BI official added that more e-gates will be installed in airports in Clark (Pampanga), Cebu, and Davao.

“We have already completed procurement and will expand to Clark, Davao, and Cebu,” Mabulac said.

The BI earlier said that the upgrade and expansion of e-gates is part of the bureau’s push for modernization, efficiency, and secure yet traveler-friendly border management.

Further, the BI is planning to transfer its headquarters to improve its services.

The BI’s main office is currently located in Intramuros, Manila, but it is reportedly set to move to a new “smart” headquarters building along Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City.

“It’s not just at our airports. We are targeting to move to a new building within the first quarter or, at the latest, early in the second quarter so we can provide our clients with a better experience,” Mabulac said. 

The bureau is now accepting cashless payments as part of its modernization efforts, he added.

BI data showed that more than 15.6 million travelers arrived in the Philippines in 2025, a 6% increase from the 14,733,597 arrivals recorded in 2024.

Of the arrivals in 2025, 6,704,007 were foreigners.—MCG, GMA Integrated News