The Philippines Is Digitizing Its Airports With Biometric Passports

The Philippines’ financial and retail industries have kickstarted the country’s digitalization push, and with a well-documented success in previous months

The Philippines is looking to continue its digitalization drive within the aviation sector with the latest partnership between the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and American identity solution UltraPass.

The partnership will see UltraPass’ technology being used to pilot a privacy-first digital identity verification system in the Philippines. This initiative will involve embedding users’ biometric data in their passports, allowing them to pass through check-in, security, and boarding gates with ease. The technology will also be integrated into the Philippines’ National ID.

“The biometric system provides not only convenient passenger processing but also enhances security protocols,” said DOTr Secretary of Transportation Jaime Bautista during the MoU signing ceremony with UltraPass CEO Eric Starr earlier this month, assuring that the digital identity solution maintains the highest standards of privacy and data sovereignty.

Before rolling out the biometric system in major airstrips like Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the DOTr and UltraPass will conduct a three-month pilot at Iloilo International Airport in the first quarter of 2025 before launching it to other airfields in the countryside, including Tacloban, Laoag, and Bicol. The Iloilo International Airport is said to be the ideal airfield for the trial due to its low volume of international flights.

“And through the pilot, we will showcase how digital identity verification can reduce processing time, improve security, and create a touchless, efficient airport experience,” Starr said.

The pilot of the digital ID verification system will be carried out in two phases. The project’s initial phase will involve Filipinos with national IDs, while the succeeding stage will be for foreign passengers with ePassports.

“Our partnership with the Philippines DOTr demonstrates how US technology can support ASEAN’s digital transformation goals while maintaining individual nations’ digital sovereignty,” added Starr.

UltraPass is one of the 12 American companies that visited the Philippines as part of the U.S. Smart Cities Trade Mission to foster collaboration on urban development strategies and local governance practices.

The digital ID verification system builds on the Philippines’ earlier projects involving emerging technologies, such as the one-stop-shop platform eGov Super App, which integrates artificial intelligence (AI) for identity verification, and the Blockchain-Enabled Automated Certification System by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).