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Evelyn Macairan - The Philippine Star
May 7, 2025 | 12:00am
Immigration counters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Bureau of Immigration via Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado has expressed frustration over the prolonged procurement process for 101 electronic gates (e-gates) for airports worth P1.9 billion.
BI Deputy Commissioner Daniel Laogan reportedly tendered his resignation as the bureau’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairman, citing “personal reasons.”
In a statement, Viado clarified that his presence at the BAC meeting on May 2 was not meant to coerce or influence the members, but to underscore the urgency of the matter.
He emphasized the need to fast-track the project, which aims to install e-gates at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other major airports in time for the BI’s 85th anniversary this September.
“I lead with discipline and urgency. I don’t tolerate complacency – when something needs to change, it must change now. I may be strict, but I get things done,” said Viado.
“When change is needed, it must not be delayed,” he added in Filipino.
Viado explained that since assuming office as commissioner in October, he has ordered a review of the bureau’s processes and technologies to support modernization, even hiring technical advisers for the task.
“Modernizing the systems of the BI has always been my drive. We are operating on an 85-year-old law and our technologies are almost outdated,” he said.
The e-gates program reportedly began in June 2024, prior to Viado’s appointment as BI chief.
“We have no time to dilly dally, the budget is in our appropriations for this year. If not finalized, it could be removed from our budget by the Department of Budget and Management,” he warned.
A technical working group was formed in February to conduct a market study on the procurement of additional electronic gates.
“The terms of reference (TOR) in procuring the e-gates were crafted to upgrade and expand the system by integrating automated biometric identification systems. This has already been approved and is set for posting,” he said.
However, during the latest BAC meeting – where approval was expected – one member allegedly proposed further revisions that would delay the process.
One such proposal involved the inclusion of iris scan capabilities in the TOR, which Viado criticized as unnecessary and extremely costly.
Countries like the US and Canada do not use iris scanning in immigration processing due to its high cost and unsuitability for long-term use, he said.
