Marcos institutionalizes eTravel system for international travelers, crew members

Metro Manila, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has institutionalized the eTravel system as the government’s one-stop electronic travel declaration system for all international and outbound passengers and crew members.

Marcos formalized the decision through Administrative Order (AO) 24, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Tuesday, Aug. 27, and publicized Saturday, Aug. 31.

According to AO 24, the government will use the eTravel system to “efficiently conduct border control, health surveillance, tourism statistics analysis, and other travel related procedures.”

The unified and integrated digital data collection platform or the eTravel system was introduced in December 2022 to streamline various travel declaration procedures for international inbound passengers.

It was launched by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Tourism (DOT), Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), and Bureau of Customs (BOC).

The eTravel system was expanded in April 2023 to cover all international inbound and outbound travelers and crew members arriving to and departing from the country.

Marcos ordered the DICT to lead the technical working group (TWG) in studying and adopting measures to “further improve the eTravel system, including its usage, management, and operation, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.”

The BI head will act as the co-chairperson of the TWG. The DOT, BOQ, BOC, the Department of Migrant Workers, and the Department of Transportation will be the group’s members.

Marcos said the funding requirements for the implementation of AO 24 will be “charged against current and available appropriations” of the agencies forming the TWG. It will be then included in the next budget proposals for continued implementation.