Customs told to step up revenue collection

President Duterte has ordered the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to step up its revenue collection drive to shore up government resources for development projects.

During the BOC’s 116th anniversary rites in Manila last Tuesday, the President recognized the efforts of the customs bureau but said “much remains to be done.”

“It has been a long and challenging journey for the agency as it strove to curb customs fraud and facilitate trade through effective customs management system,” the President said in his remarks.

“However, much remains to be done. The BOC needs to improve its overall revenue collection to meet its target so that the government will have more funds for its priority development programs,” he said.

The BOC aims to collect R598 billion this year, 28 percent higher compared to the R467 billion revenue target in 2017.

It missed its 2017 revenue collection target after collecting only R457.6 billion.

The President, in the same event, directed customs personnel to sustain the campaign against smuggling of goods including cars.

“Smuggling, this has been going on – ang history natin is for centuries na, even the Customs, it’s more than a century old,” said Duterte after witnessing the wrecking of 20 smuggled luxury cars worth over R61 million at the BOC compound.