Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Giovanni Lopez led a high-level inspection of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) facilities this Saturday, confirming the readiness of the nation’s premier gateway to accommodate the massive influx of passengers expected during the upcoming Holiday season.
The comprehensive inspection was conducted in direct compliance with the President’s directive to ensure all major transportation hubs—airports, terminals, and ports—are fully prepared and operating at maximum efficiency to facilitate the annual holiday rush.
Secretary Lopez was joined by key officials, including Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado, Office for Transportation Security (OTS) Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, and executives from the private consortium, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), President and CEO Cecille Ang, and General Manager Lito Alvarez.
Highlighting the administration’s priority on traveler welfare, Secretary Lopez emphasized the importance of streamlined operations. “As the President said, our passengers should be fast and comfortable. We are fully committed to promoting digitalization in the airport with NNIC to make the overall passenger travel experience faster and more convenient, especially as the holiday season approaches,” said Secretary Lopez.
The inspection focused on the successful implementation of new technologies designed to reduce wait times and enhance security. Notably, the new self-check-in and bag drop counters in the Departure area are now fully operational, providing travelers with fast and convenient options.
Furthermore, the DOTr and its partners are working to reduce immigration processing queues at the arrival area significantly. This will be achieved through the implementation of advanced border control e-gates, which utilize facial recognition and passport scanning features. These new security and verification tools will not only expedite processing for returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and arriving passengers but also ensure a higher level of passenger safety and avoid illegal entry.
The digital transformation is on track for the holiday period, with the new PRS e-gates and border control e-gates expected to be commissioned and fully operational by the second week of December.
