President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday led the unveiling of newly installed electronic immigration gates, a dignitaries’ lounge, and modern food halls at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City, marking another step in the modernization of the country’s main international gateway.
During the launch, Marcos toured the new e-gates, the Dignitaries Lounge, and the Mezzanine and Tambayan food halls, highlighting the improvements aimed at enhancing passenger experience and operational efficiency.
“It looks like a real airport finally… to finally see the airport at least functioning like a modern airport, the importance is the multiplier effect of this efficiency is quite massive,” Marcos said, noting that the upgrades bring NAIA closer to global airport standards.
He added that the guiding principle of the project was to ensure that airport operations always prioritize passengers.
The new e-gates, funded by New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), are powered by global travel technology firm Amadeus. Using biometric identity verification and document authentication, the system allows eligible passengers to clear immigration in about 20 seconds, helping decongest terminals during peak travel periods while meeting border security requirements.
“Passengers can now clear in as little as 20 seconds, not 20 minutes,” Marcos said, adding that further improvements are expected as the system continues to stabilize.
A total of 78 biometric immigration e-gates will be deployed across NAIA under a phased rollout, with units already operational at Terminals 1 and 3, where international flights are handled.
Marcos also inaugurated the 200-square-meter Dignitaries Lounge at Terminal 3, designed to accommodate up to 61 guests. He said the new facility reflects Filipino values of warmth and hospitality, while providing a more suitable venue for official engagements.
In addition, the president led the opening of two new food halls intended to expand dining options for travelers. The All-Filipino “Tambayan” Food Hall spans 6,200 square meters, can seat up to 2,000 guests, and features 17 local brands offering regional Filipino cuisine.
Marcos also visited the 6,801-square-meter Mezzanine Food Hall, which can accommodate around 600 guests and houses 22 stand-alone restaurants and cafés.
NNIC said more facilities are in the pipeline, including a new airside Food Village for departing passengers, featuring both local and international brands. Similar upgrades are also being developed in other terminals to improve consistency and passenger flow across the airport.
