BI Chief defends CAISS as vital upgrade to Philippine Border Security

Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado defended the proposed Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services (CAISS) project, saying the P10.7-billion public-private partnership could significantly strengthen the country’s border security against terrorism, human trafficking, smuggling and other transnational crimes.

During the House of Representatives budget hearing on August 24, Viado said the proposed partnership with US-based Securiport LLC would modernize the country’s aging border-control system through biometrics, advanced analytics, passenger information systems and integration with international databases.

According to Viado, the current system still relies heavily on manual procedures and outdated databases, making it increasingly difficult for authorities to respond to more sophisticated methods used by criminals and terrorist groups.

Private sector to finance the system

Viado emphasized that the proposed project would not require direct government capitalization.

Under the proposal, Securiport would provide around P10.74 billion during the initial five-year period, maintain and upgrade the system every four years throughout the 20-year partnership, and provide training for BI personnel.

The proposed system would be financed through a P240 one-way service fee, or P480 for a round trip. Viado stressed that the charge is a service fee and not a tax.

He also cited passenger-related charges imposed in other countries, including Australia, Singapore, Japan, Thailand and Hong Kong.

OFWs among lawmakers’ concerns

Lawmakers raised concerns over the possible impact of the proposed fee on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Viado said OFWs would not be required to personally shoulder the charge when it falls under expenses covered by their foreign employers under existing overseas employment rules.

He reiterated that the proposed payment is intended as a service fee for travelers and not an additional tax on Filipino workers.

CAISS to boost passenger screening

Viado said the proposed CAISS platform would give immigration authorities more advanced tools to identify and assess high-risk travelers.

Among its proposed capabilities are:

• Advanced biometric matching
• Passenger information analysis
• Integration with Interpol databases
• Artificial-intelligence-assisted open-source intelligence
• Pre-arrival passenger screening

With these technologies, authorities could potentially identify security risks even before a passenger boards a flight bound for the Philippines.

The system could also help airlines reduce expenses associated with transporting passengers back to their points of origin after being denied entry into the country.

The project is being positioned as an additional tool against human trafficking, smuggling, drug and weapons trafficking, terrorism, money laundering, tax evasion and organized crime.

Government to retain control of data

Data privacy and national sovereignty were also among the issues raised during the hearing.

Viado assured lawmakers that the Philippine government would retain control of immigration and passenger information.

He said Securiport’s role would be limited to providing the technology, tools and training, while immigration officers would continue to make the final decisions on whether a passenger would be allowed to enter the country.

Artificial intelligence and analytics, he explained, would serve only as decision-support tools.

Revenue-sharing arrangement questioned

Lawmakers also questioned the proposed 95-5 revenue-sharing arrangement between the private proponent and the government.

Viado said the government’s five-percent share would support BI modernization initiatives and also go to the National Treasury.

He maintained that the projected P192 billion in revenue over 20 years should be viewed alongside the cost of financing, operating and continuously upgrading the border-security system throughout the partnership.

CAISS is different from e-Gates

Viado also clarified that CAISS is different from the existing e-Gates program.

While e-Gates primarily provide automated border-control services, CAISS is envisioned as a broader security platform integrating biometrics, passenger information, international databases and intelligence capabilities.

This would allow border screening to extend beyond physical airport checkpoints, giving authorities the ability to assess potential travelers even before they depart for the Philippines.

Project remains under review

Viado said the proposal has undergone review by several government agencies, including the Public-Private Partnership Center, Department of Justice, Department of Finance and Office of the Solicitor General.

The project also went through a Swiss Challenge process, but no competing proponent submitted a challenge.

Viado stressed that no contract has been signed and that the proposal remains subject to government review.

In response to lawmakers’ calls for greater transparency, he committed to submitting relevant project documents to the House, including the proposed contract, terms of reference, the private proponent’s proposal and resolutions of the bidding committee.

The documents are expected to allow lawmakers to further scrutinize the project before the budget process is finalized.

For the BI chief, CAISS is a long-term investment in modernizing the country’s border-security infrastructure and providing immigration authorities with technology capable of addressing evolving threats—while keeping critical immigration data and final entry decisions under government control.