President Marcos has institutionalized the country's Electronic Travel Information (eTravel) System to ensure border control, health surveillance, and tourism statistics analysis, among others.

Based on Administrative Order (AO) No. 24. signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Aug. 27, the move is part of the government's goal to promote transparency by adopting simplified measures to reduce red tape.

It takes effect immediately following its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

With the AO, the eTravel System is now institutionalized as the government's one-stop electronic travel declaration system for all international inbound and outbound passengers and crew members.

"It shall be used by the government to efficiently conduct border control, health surveillance, tourism statistics analysis, and other travel-related procedures," it read.

The AO likewise creates a technical working group (TWG) that will study and, as necessary, adopt measures that will improve the eTravel System's usage, management, and operation.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shall serve as the TWG's chair with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as the co-chair.

Other members of the TWG are the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

"All relevant departments, agencies, offices, and instrumentalities, shall provide full support to, and cooperation with the TWG to ensure effective implementation of this Order," the AO read.

The government launched the eTravel System in December 2022. Registration on the platform is free.

The eTravel System aims to provide more convenience and accessibility to passengers and encourage more travelers into the country.

It streamlined entry and data collection processes by hosting an electronic version of the arrival card that travelers must accomplish and submit upon arrival in the country for immigration clearance.

The health declaration portal was also integrated into the eTravel portal.