Customs bans bogus employees

Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero recently banned “nonorganic” employees, who are personally hired by customs officers, from entering the Bureau of Customs offices.

Through two memorandum orders, the commissioner issued a “No Hao Siao Policy,” directing all customs employees and officials to “refrain from using the services of non-organic personnel or “Hao Siaos.”

“It has come to the attention of this office that despite repeated prohibition of previous administrations, the use of the services of non-organic employees also known as ‘Hao Siaos’ is still prevalent up to this day,” Guerrero said on the first memorandum issued on November 23.

Hao Siaos, according to the bureau, are non-organic personnel who are performing “essential and sensitive functions” that are mandated only for legitimate customs personnel.

It was bared that these non-organic personnel carry out tasks for a certain office or officer in the bureau without a contract or any documents of employment with the bureau.

In a separate memorandum dated November 26, Guerrero has totally banned the entry of non-organic personnel to the bureau.

“Pursuant to the existing issuances and regulations, all are hereby instructed to prohibit the entry of ‘Hao Siaos’ within the Customs premises and refrain from using their service,” he reiterated.

“Should any of the ‘Hao Siaos’ be found in any of your offices, the head of the office shall be held responsible and shall be dealt with accordingly,” he added on the memo.

Furthermore, the deputy commissioner of Enforcement Group and the director of Enforcement and Security Service are tasked “to strictly monitor the prohibition of ‘Hao Siaos’ within the Customs premises and strictly enforce the No ID, No Entry Policy.”

The commissioner, meanwhile, warned that heads of offices caught employing “Hao Siaos” will be immediately relieved from their positions.