*PRESS RELEASE*
28 June 2025
In line with the directive of President Ferdinand ‘Bong Bong’ Marcos, Jr. to modernize systems for border management, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado hosted a live demonstration of the advance passenger information system (APIS) last June 20.
Viado showcased theUnited Nations’ goTravel system through a live demonstration, showing the system’s advanced capability to pre-vet incoming and outgoing airline passengers using Advanced Passenger Information (API) data.
The high-level demonstration was attended by key officials from various government and law enforcement agencies. Among the top government officials present were Undersecretary Bernardo C. Florence, Jr. of the Anti-Terrorism Council – Program Management Center (ATC-PMC), Office of the President; Undersecretary Jose R. Cadiz, Jr. of the Department of Justice, who also oversees the BI; and Director John Roland P. Mabbun from the Office of the Executive Secretary.
The demonstration was also attended by representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Quarantine, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Rachelle Ann Lim, representative of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), witnessed the demonstration and reaffirmed the UN’s support for enhancing the Philippines’ border management capacity.
The goTravel system, developed under the UNOCT’s global travel initiative, enables authorities to assess passenger information in real-time, helping prevent the movement of high-risk individuals and strengthening the country’s defenses against terrorism and transnational crime.
Viado emphasized the significance of inter-agency cooperation in the successful implementation of the system. “This demonstration marks a major step forward in modernizing our border control processes. With goTravel, we are embracing technology to better protect our country while ensuring efficient travel for legitimate passengers,” he said.
The BI is expected to continue working closely with partner agencies and the UN to fully integrate the goTravel system into the Philippines’ broader national security and immigration infrastructure.
