THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it entered into a partnership with UltraPass Identity Corp., a US company, to pilot-test an airport biometric passenger processing system.
The partnership was signed on the sidelines of the US Department of Commerce’s Innovative Technologies for Urban Infrastructure Development Trade Mission to Manila on Wednesday.
“This technical upgrade in passenger processing at airports will usher in more innovation that we can implement nationwide,” Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said.
According to Mr. Bautista, the pilot test in Iloilo airport will come at no cost to the government. He said Iloilo was selected due to its low volume of international flights.
“We are also looking at other airports … in Tacloban, Laoag, and Bicol,” he said.
“This will be implemented fast, I think early next year, and will run for three months. We will start with Iloilo first, and then we can extend the test to the other airports after three months,” he added.
UltraPass Chief Executive Officer Eric Starr said that the project will be implemented in two phases.
“The first (phase) is just for Filipinos so they will have a better experience; the second is for everybody coming through the airport,” Mr. Starr said.
“The first phase will be completed in the first half of 2025… There’s a list of things that need to be done to go from the beginning to the end. So we start that immediately,” he added.
Mr. Starr is part of the trade mission along with representatives from AppCensus, Bechtel, Graphen, Inc., Headway PM, Holland LP, NGA 911, Resecurity, Roc.ai, SolisMatica, Trellix, and Varidx.
“This trade mission follows in the footsteps of the Presidential Trade and Investment Mission that US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo led in March,” according to US Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago.
“And with this week’s Smart Cities Trade Mission, the Philippines becomes the only country in the world where the US Department of Commerce has brought two high-level trade missions in 2024,” she added.
She said that the members of the delegation are from the cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, biometrics, engineering and construction, and rail industries.
“Some of these companies already have a presence in the Philippines and are looking to expand. Others are exploring opportunities in this dynamic market for the first time,” she said.
The US delegation will be in the country until Nov. 14 before flying to Indonesia.
Ms. Lago met with officials from the Philippine government and stakeholders to explore avenues for expanding trade and investment with a focus on digital technology, infrastructure, civil nuclear cooperation, and empowering women entrepreneurs.
She is due in Clark on Thursday to promote infrastructure projects associated with the Luzon Economic Corridor. — Justine Irish D. Tabile