Passengers are seen at the departure lobby of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) on Thursday announced the temporary suspension of the clearance procedure under green lane to expedite long queues for arriving passengers.

“It will now be easier for our visitors and fellow Filipinos to enter the country,” BoC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno told reporters in Filipino.

Starting Aug. 14, passengers in the green lane will no longer need to have their Quick Response (QR) codes scanned.

Customs clarified that passengers still need to accomplish their e-Travel application.

The temporary suspension will last until further notice, it said.

Passengers in the country are required to register through the e-Travel application and accomplish the Customs Declaration Form before arrival. A QR code is then generated for all passengers, regardless of whether they have goods or currency to declare.

“There’s an option of ‘something to declare’ and a ‘nothing to declare’ section. Those with ‘nothing to declare’ go straight out,” Mr. Nepomuceno said.

Despite this, the BoC assures the public that this will not interfere with border controls as baggage will still undergo random inspection and x-ray machines.

Mr. Nepomuceno said the country now follows other countries and hopes to make good impression for foreign travelers. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

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