MANILA, Philippines: UltraPass, a U.S.-based digital identity company, and the Philippine Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced a landmark partnership to pilot a privacy-first digital identity verification solution across Philippine airports. The signing ceremony with Secretary of Transportation Jaime J. Bautista and UltraPass CEO Eric Starr, witnessed by U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Maria Lago and senior U.S. and Philippine government officials, marks a significant step in advancing digital transformation and regional connectivity in Southeast Asia.

This partnership, emerging from the first-ever Presidential Trade & Investment Mission to the Philippines earlier this year led by Secretary Gina Raimondo, will enable the Philippines to deploy advanced digital identity solutions for aviation security. UltraPass's technology will streamline passenger verification while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and data sovereignty.

“By keeping in step with best international practices, and with the cooperation of private concessionaires of airports, we can elevate Philippine aviation to global standards. Major airports abroad have long adopted this technology,” said Secretary Jaime J. Bautista.

The implementation will begin with pilot programs at strategic airports, allowing Filipino citizens to experience faster, more secure airport processing through biometric verification integrated with the national identity system. This technology has been proven to reduce passenger processing time significantly while enhancing security measures.

"Our partnership with the Philippines DOTr demonstrates how U.S. technology can support ASEAN's digital transformation goals while maintaining individual nations' digital sovereignty," said Eric Starr, CEO of UltraPass. "This collaboration sets a new standard for how digital identity can enhance both security and efficiency in aviation."

The partnership aligns with priorities outlined by U.S. leaders to deepen economic bilateral ties between the U.S. and Philippines, as well as the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Digital Economic Framework Agreement and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, strengthening regional connectivity while ensuring data privacy and security. The implementation will support the Philippines' vision of becoming a regional aviation hub while providing a model for digital identity integration across ASEAN.

About UltraPass

UltraPass is a U.S.-based digital identity company providing privacy-first solutions that enable faster, more secure verification for citizens accessing government services. UltraPass's technology integrates with national digital identity systems while maintaining complete data sovereignty, supporting both domestic security and regional connectivity goals.

About Philippines Department of Transportation

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is the primary policy, planning, programming, coordinating, implementing, regulating, and administrative entity of the government in the promotion, development, and regulation of dependable and coordinated networks of transportation systems in the Philippines.

Fonte: Business Wire