MANILA, Philippines- Ginawang institutionalized ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang electronic travel information system (eTravel) para sa official travel declaration mechanism ng bansa para sa international passengers at crew.
Sa kanyang Administrative Order 24, ipinalabas nito lamang Agosto 27, idineklara ni Pangulong Marcos na ang eTravel system ay dapat gamitin ng gobyerno para sa episyenteng pagsasagawa ng border control, health surveillance, tourism statistics analysis, at iba pang travel-related procedures.
“The eTravel System is hereby institutionalized as the government’s one-stop electronic travel declaration system for all international inbound and outbound passengers and crew members,” ang nakasaad sa kautusan.
Ang AO 24 ay nilagdaan ni Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin na may pahintulot ni Pangulong Marcos.
Sa ilalim ng AO 24, bumuo si Pangulong Marcos ng Technical Working Group (TWG) para sa eTravel system para pag-aralan at i-adopt ang mga panukala para paghusayin ang international travel declaration scheme alinsunod sa “usage, management, and operation, in accordance with existing laws, rules, and regulations.”
Ang TWG sa eTravel system ay bubuuin ng Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) bilang chairperson, Bureau of Immigration (BI) bilang co-chairperson, at Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), and Bureau of Customs (BOC) bilang mga miyembro.
“All relevant departments, agencies, bureaus, offices and instrumentalities shall provide full support to, and cooperation with the TWG to ensure effective implementation of this order,” saad sa AO.
“For this purpose, the TWG and all relevant departments, agencies, bureaus, offices and instrumentalities shall ensure compliance with RA No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012) in the implementation of this Order, as well the usage, management and operation of the eTravel system,” dagdag pa rito.
Sa ulat, sinimulan ng DICT ang eTravel system noong 2022—sa pakikipagtulungan sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), DOTr, BI, BOQ, at DOT—para i-streamline ang travel processes para sa mga nagnanais na pumasok at lumabas ng Pilipinas.
Kamakailan lamang, inanunsyo ng BOC ang rollout ng Pilipinas ang eTravel system noong Hulyo 10, 2024.
Sa ilalim ng enhanced system, “a single QR code/will be generated for each passenger to cover his or her customs, immigration, quarantine, migrant workers, and tourism travel passes.
Sinabi ng BOC na nakipatulungan sila sa DICT at DMW para makapagtatag ng mahahalagang katangian ng eTravel pass, gaya ng pagdaragdag sa Customs Baggage Declaration Form, Currency Declaration Form, at Overseas Employment Certificate for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Tampok din sa e-Travel pass ang pagdagdag ng seaport o cruise forms para gawing simple ang registration process.
Kaugnay naman sa funding requirements sa pagpapatupad ng eTravel system, idineklara ng Pangulo na ito’y dapat na kunin mula sa “current and available appropriations of DICT, BI, DOT, DMW, DOTr, BOQ, and BOC “subject to pertinent budgeting, accounting, and auditing laws, rules, and regulations.”
“Thereafter, funding requirements necessary for the continued implementation of this Order shall be included in the budget proposals of said agencies, subject to the usual budget preparation process,” ang nakasaad sa kautusan.
Magiging epektibo ang AO sa oras na mailathala sa Official Gazette o sa mga pahayagan na may general circulation. Kris Jose
