Manila: The Philippine government on Thursday formally launched the United Nations-owned goTravel software solution to enhance national border management capabilities targeted at preventing the travel of known and suspected terrorists and individuals affiliated with organized crime groups. The goTravel software solution supports law enforcement with the end-to-end processing of passenger data, which will enhance national border management capabilities, providing a key tool to enable authorities to detect and prevent the travel of known and suspected terrorists and other serious criminals, while safeguarding privacy and data protection.
According to Philippines News Agency, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin emphasized the administration's commitment to securing the nation's borders from transnational threats during his speech to representatives of the international community. With the launch of the software, the Philippines becomes the seventh UN member state and the first country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community to deploy and go live using goTravel.
Bersamin stated, "(W)e reaffirm the Philippine government's commitment to strengthening border security, combating transnational crime and upholding our international obligations through the formalization of the memorandum of agreement between the Philippines and United Nations." He further highlighted the importance of building a system of trust and cooperation that transcends national borders to effectively combat these threats.
The Philippine government announced that goTravel is now fully operational, enabling immigration authorities to obtain passenger data from air carriers, conduct targeted screening and analysis, and transmit findings to the relevant competent authorities for follow-up action. This initiative marks a significant milestone in national, regional, and global efforts to implement UN Security Council resolutions, align with international standards and recommended practices, and uphold human rights principles.
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu expressed Australia's pride in supporting this transformative initiative. "Australia is honored to be a key partner in supporting this transformative initiative, through Australia's Department of Home Affairs, working hand in hand with our Philippine counterparts and the UNOCT (United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism) to enhance security, improve information-sharing, and build more robust, well-protected borders," Yu said.
Since June 2021, the Philippines has collaborated with the UN Countering Terrorist Travel Program to establish a national Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) and strengthen its capabilities with financial support from the Australian government.