In pursuit of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) commitment of delivering real justice for all, the DOJ and the Bureau of Immigration in partnership with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) aimed at revolutionizing national border control through the utilization of the Advance Passenger Information (API) System.
Spearheading the ceremonial launch of the API System today were Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, Undersecretaries Raul T. Vasquez and Jose R. Cadiz, Jr., BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado, with the support of UN Resident Coordinator Arnaud Peral, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu and UNOCT Countering Terrorist Travel Section Chief Christine Bradley.
This initiative is in accord with the UN’s ‘goTravel’ software solution mainly intended to support law enforcement using end-to-end processing of passenger data which will enhance national border management capabilities.
The same will also provide a platform for local and international authorities to collaborate effectively, conferring them the ability to detect and prevent the travel of terrorists and other serious criminals, while safeguarding data and privacy of persons.
“Ensuring the security of our borders is not just about stopping threats before they arrive, it is about building a system of trust and cooperation that allows us to work seamlessly with our partners at home and abroad… Threats do not stop at national borders, and neither should our efforts to combat them,” said ES Bersamin.
“The value of this initiative is clear, stronger border control, better intelligence sharing, and a more proactive approach to national security. With this set in place we reduce the risk of threats, slipping through our immigration controls, we also prevent travel document fraud, strengthen risk assessments and ensure that our security agencies have the tools to act swiftly and effectively,” Usec. Vasquez partly read the message of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” C. Remulla.
With the launch of the software, the Philippines is now the 7th Member State and the first country in the ASEAN region to deploy and go live using ‘goTravel’, representing a significant milestone in national security.
