Customs collection keeps beating targets

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has raked in P167 billion as of mid-March as the agency moves to ramp up its processes to maintain its streak of exceeding targets.

Data showed that BOC collections already reached P166.97 billion since the start of the year until March 13.

This is nine percent or P14 billion above the BOC’s target of P153 billion.

This allowed the agency to keep up with its momentum last year when it exceeded all its monthly collection targets on the back of higher imports in line with economic reopening.

This is 19 percent of the P901.34 billion target set by the Cabinetlevel Development Budget Coordination Committee.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier challenged the bureau to set loftier targets and become a modern and world-class institution.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, for his part, lauded importers who had fully complied with their payable duties and taxes, contributing to the positive collection performance of the agency.

The BOC recently awarded its top importers for 2022 including Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. and Seaoil Philippines Inc., among others.

Further, Rubio announced the creation of an advisory council, which will be the official forum for communications and consultations between the BOC and the business community.

Among its intended functions is to assist the commissioner in achieving excellent delivery of customs policies and services and identifying obstacles in trade facilitation that result in delays and unnecessary costs.

“By bringing together stakeholders to form an industry-wide advisory council, we will be able to develop even more relevant policies that respond to our present needs,” Rubio said.

BOC has five priority programs under the administration, including digitalization of processes, surpassing targets, simplifying procedures and facilitating secure trade, curbing smuggling, and uplifting employee welfare and development.

As the second largest revenue agency, the BOC is mandated to deliver financial resources to fund the government’s programs and projects. –