IMMIGRATION Commissioner Jaime Morente yesterday said they will re-launch the Electronic Gate System (E-Gate) to fast track the immigration processing time for Filipinos arriving from abroad and avoid long queues at the airports during the Christmas season.
Morente said he has directed the agency’s Port Operations Division (POD) to revive the E-gate system in time for the onset of the holiday season.
Launched in August 2018, the E-gates operation was suspended in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic struck due to concerns that passengers could be exposed to and contaminated by the virus as it requires passengers to have their fingers biometrically scanned by machines before they could pass through the electronic gates.
Morente said that with the continuing drop in the number of COVID cases in the country, it is time for the bureau to revive the project for the convenience of the traveling public and frontline personnel.
