THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) has directed its personnel to complete customs assessments within five days and accelerate the release of legitimate shipments as part of efforts to streamline trade processes.
“Customs personnel have been directed to complete assessments within five days, while airport shipments with complete documents are generally expected to be released within one day and, at most, three days,” the BoC said in a statement on Thursday.
Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said digitalization will remain central to the BoC’s reforms, as it adopts new technologies and digital solutions to improve processes and address longstanding operational challenges.
“With the help of our other officers, the Bureau of Customs will be different, better than when we inherited the agency,” he said.
Aside from streamlining customs procedures, the BoC is also preparing for potential port congestion.
“The BoC is likewise preparing for increased shipment volumes and potential port congestion while strengthening its three core mandates of revenue collection, trade facilitation, and enforcement,” the agency said.
In the first nine months, the BoC saw a record P757.406-billion collection, exceeding its P748.494-billion collection target by P8.913 billion, or 1.2%.
“Through these reforms, the BoC continues to pursue faster and more reliable Customs services while strengthening border protection and facilitating legitimate trade,” it added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile