PBBM institutionalizes eTravel System for Enhanced Travel Procedures

International passengers and crew members may now have an easier time arriving and departing from the Philippines.

This is because President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has formally institutionalized the use of electronic travel (eTravel) information system for to effectively streamline travel operations in the country.

The eTravel system is designed to facilitate border control, health surveillance, tourism data analysis, and other travel-related processes for the efficient management of travel within the country.

Through the issuance of Administrative Order (AO) 24 on August 27, the eTravel system is designated as the government’s centralized electronic travel declaration platform for inbound and outbound travelers.

Additionally, AO 24 establishes a technical working group (TWG) responsible for studying and implementing measures to optimize the eTravel system, under the leadership of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

The TWG comprises representatives from key departments including the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), and Bureau of Customs (BOC).

All relevant government entities are directed to extend full support and collaboration to the TWG to ensure the effective execution of AO 24.

Funding for the implementation of the eTravel system will be allocated from the existing budgets of the involved agencies, with future budget requirements to be incorporated in the budget proposals of TWG members following the standard budget preparation process.

Having initially launched the unified eTravel system in partnership with other agencies in December 2022 and subsequently expanded its coverage in April 2023, AO 24 comes into immediate effect upon its publication in the Official Gazette or a widely circulated newspaper.

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