BI expands advance passenger info system
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has expanded the implementation of its Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), bolstering national security through early threat detection.
In a statement Saturday, Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the initiative is a “critical defense line at the nation’s borders” and a major step forward in the country’s digital transformation and security posture.
The APIS is a digital platform that allows authorities to screen inbound travelers even before they arrive.
Earlier this week, a foreign national whose name the BI did not divulge, was intercepted and denied entry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 after the system flagged him for having an Interpol blue notice.
The individual had been linked to criminal activities abroad, and BI officers acted swiftly, based on the alert issued through the APIS.
The bureau continues to encourage airline companies to fully integrate with the APIS.
Four airlines are fully integrated with APIS as of May 28 – Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, Kuwait Airways, and Etihad Airways.
Singapore Airlines and China Airlines are in the pre-production phase and are expected to be fully compliant in the coming weeks.
Local carrier Cebu Pacific became the first airline to submit passenger data via APIS, and the system has flagged 32 Interpol hits – 26 entries from the Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database and six alerts from the Nominal database, which identifies fugitives and individuals linked to terrorism and serious crimes.
“Through APIS, we are able to flag high-risk individuals and stop them from entering the country before they even disembark,” Viado said. “With every airline that joins APIS, our capacity to secure our borders and protect our people grows stronger.”
He said the proactive approach “aligns with President (Ferdinand R.) Marcos (Jr.’s) vision of a safer, more secure Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) and strengthens our commitment to international cooperation and public safety.”
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The bureau is also actively engaging with major stakeholders, among them the Airline Operators Council, the International Air Transport Association, and the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp., to expedite full industry adoption.
“This is how the Bureau of Immigration contributes to our agency’s Bagong Immigration goal, towards the nation’s peace and stability under Bagong Pilipinas,” Viado added. /jpv
