Immigration commissioner Siegfred Mison said they are pushing for the
implementation of the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) to
allow immigration officers to receive data about the passengers bound
for the Philippines even before they arrive at international airports
and seaports.
He said the government needs an APIS “so that we could channel all
our resources to those passengers who are considered as high-risk and
low risk. We would be able to immediately let the ‘good guys’ in and
keep the ‘bad guys’ out.”
Mison said they are still in the process of getting President Aquino to sign an executive order to implement APIS.
The yearly subscription to the provider of the advance passenger
database alone could amount to P16 million. Aside from the BI, the
Bureau of Customs and the Department of Tourism might be asked to help
shoulder the subscription cost since they would also benefit from the
system.
The service also covers the training of personnel for the APIS.
There are three top APIS providers that would still have to bid for the project once the President signs the executive order.
Mison is hoping the project pushes through before the end of the year.
Two international events are scheduled next year where the APIS would
prove to be useful – the five-day apostolic visit of Pope Francis from
Jan. 15 to 19 next year and the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) meet.
The first batch of delegates for APEC is expected to arrive this December.
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