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Travel through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 is seen to become more secure and easier with the installation of the initial set of biometric Immigration e-gates
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The activation of the new equipment was part of the December 16 launch of new facilities at the terminal, which also included new food halls, a Dignitaries Lounge, and a Food Village at the airside
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Operator New NAIA Infra Corp. said a total of 78 biometric e-gates will be set up
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Systems already operational at Terminals 1 and 3, where international flights operate
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The system allows eligible passengers to complete immigration clearance in as fast as 20 seconds
Travel through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 is seen to become more secure and easier with the installation of the initial set of biometric Immigration e-gates under a phased deployment.
The activation of the new equipment was part of the December 16 launch of new facilities at the terminal, which also included two new food halls, a new Dignitaries Lounge, and a Food Village at the airside.
“This shows how this partnership with the government is delivering improvements that the public can see and feel. As we enter the new year, we look forward to continuing this work and building on what is already in place,” New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) president and CEO Ramon Ang said in a statement.
NNIC said a total of 78 biometric e-gates will be set up, with systems already operational at Terminals 1 and 3, where international flights operate.
The system allows eligible passengers to complete immigration clearance in as fast as 20 seconds, helping ease congestion especially during peak travel periods.
It uses biometric identity verification and document authentication to streamline processing while meeting the security requirements of border authorities, NNIC said.
The platform is powered by Amadeus, a global travel technology company that provides advanced solutions to airports, airlines, and border authorities worldwide, supporting secure and seamless passenger processing across major international hubs.
The launching event was attended by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Transportation acting secretary Giovanni Lopez, Tourism secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, and undersecretary and PPP Center executive director Rizza Blanco-Latorre.
“This accomplishment reminds us that when systems are fixed and institutions cooperate, efficiency follows—and so does public trust,” Marcos said.
Other improvements accomplished so far include strengthened airside operations, upgraded passenger terminal facilities, and enhanced baggage handling.
Ang underscored in his speech NNIC’s achievements just in its first year of taking over the management of the country’s main gateway, including the remittance of P57 billion in revenue to the government.
READ: NNIC to set up facial recognition system at NAIA as it marks 1st year
The P170.6-billion NAIA rehabilitation project under a public-private partnership contract was awarded to NNIC in September 2024.
It covers the rehabilitation of passenger terminals and airside facilities such as runway, aircraft parking area and airfield lighting, and the construction of facilities for intermodal transfers at the terminals.
Among its specific targets are increasing airport passenger capacity from 35 million passengers to 62 million; increasing air traffic movements from 40-42 per hour to 48 per hour; and delivering internationally-benchmarked minimum performance standards and specifications for facilities operations and maintenance.
