New Customs chief vows to fight smugglers, raise collection

Returning Customs Commissioner Ramon J. Farolan has vowed to redouble the Estrada administration's anti-smuggling campaign in tandem with the Task Force Aduana, the special police team now running after smugglers.

The retired general served as Customs commissioner for nine years from 1977 to 1986 and is known for his integrity in holding a graft-prone position in the civil government.

Farolan's pledge was made in a recent dialogue with leaders of the Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), whose members make up the biggest segment of the country's import-export business only a week after retired Gen. Farolan was appointed to head the Bureau of Customs.

"I could not entirely wipe out smuggling and rid the bureau of corrupt employees. But I will minimize smuggling and corruption," Farolan told the local business leaders. He declared anti-smuggling his top priority.

Smuggling has become more rampant in recent years to the point that goods which have traditionally been produced here like sugar, rice and chicken have been smuggled in by the shiploads.

Coupled with graft and corruption, this has been pinpointed as the chief reason why the bureau had run short of its revenue targets for the past couple of years.

He said that upon his assumption of office, he has coordinated with PNP Chief Ping Lacson for the anti-smuggling team, Task Force Aguana to work closely with his office in bringing down to the barest minimum through the nation's ports and coastal backdoors.

He likewise said he is cleaning the bureau of its bad eggs to be able to raise the P91.9 billion his office has targeted to raise in customs revenues this year. At the same time, he will continue with the modernization and computerization of customs operations began during the term of commissioner Parayno but suspended later.

The retired soldier of the old school likewise assured the business community that he will promptly shift the method of customs valuation to transaction value as mandated by the World Trade Organization.

And to facilitate international trade, the bureau will speed up the processing of papers and the movement of legally imported goods for local manufacturers and the speedy dispatch of export goods. -- Philexport News & Features