Davao ports eye P5.5-billion surplus year-end collection

DAVAO CITY—Customs authorities here are aiming for a P5.5 billion for the entire year, even as total current port collection has already breached its target by 25 percent. The Bureau of Customs (BOC) here said it has collected as of Wednesday a total of P25.3 billion since the start of the year. The amount, the agency said, was already P5.1 billion higher from its target of collecting P20.1 billion for the year, and 54 percent higher from its collection last year of P16.4 billion, or P8.9 billion higher.

“We are looking at around P5.5 billion in surplus by the end of 2018,” said district collector, Romalino G. Valdez.

The collection district, he added, has surpassed its highest monthly collection record twice this year. First was in February, when it collected P2 billion, a 54.34-percent surplus from that month’s target.

The second was in June, when it collected P2.4 billion, representing a 57.73-percent surplus.

The collections were generated from its Port of Davao and its subports of General Santos City in South Cotabato, Parang in Maguindanao and Mati City in Davao Oriental.

“The Port of Davao takes to heart that hitting our collection target means assurance that every infrastructure, health, educational, economic and financial project of the government would be well funded,” Valdez said.

He also thanked the businesses and taxpayers for paying the right amount of taxes to the government.

“Hitting our collection target was also made possible through the help of the BOC stakeholders and the individual taxpayers. I would like to thank them for their contribution to the funding of the projects of the government,” Valdez said.