Manila, March 28 -- Airlines will be required to integrate the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) into their system once the phased implementation becomes successful, Malacanang said on Friday.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) earlier launched the APIS, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to enhance national security through digital transformation.

"Once everything is smooth, lahat na po ng airlines ay ima-mandatory na po na magsagawa na rin po ng APIS," Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Palace press briefing.

This, as Castro noted that local carrier Cebu Pacific was the first to fully integrate the APIS into its system.

"As part of its phased ...