BOC begins longer work hours for busy ‘ber’ months

The “ber” months, having started yesterday, prompted the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to extend regular working hours of its personnel with a “no noon break” policy to better serve the public and further facilitate trade in the revenue-collecting agency.

Regular working hours in the country’s ports started yesterday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with no noon break.

Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina said there would be no regular non-working holidays during the fiveday period in run- up to the Christmas season.

“We intend for the ber months to pass by smoothly without any reports of port congestion,” he said.

Under the 12-hour Customs work week, the division chiefs of the ports nationwide would “arrange the working schedule of each staff, making sure there is no interruption of service.”

The existing staff would be divided into two shifts: either from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. with lunch break at 11 a.m. to noon, or from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with lunch break at 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Lina ordered port collectors to directly coordinate with their respective arrastre operators and other stakeholders of all ports and subports to ensure that the extended working hours is also fully supported by their respective operations.

The BOC expects businesses to perk up during “ber” months, increasing the volume of cargoes arriving in the ports.

As an example, the 1,000 containers loaded with 400 balikbayan boxes each arriving every month will likely double or triple when the Christmas season starts.

“We’re in the last quarter of the game with only a few months left in the administration. But with the right foundation and enough willpower, anything is possible. We can deliver private sector competitiveness to the public sector. Wait and see,” Lina said.