Customs exceeds Jan, Feb targets

Despite the effects of the war in Iraq, the high foreign exchange rate and low imports, the Bureau of Customs met its collection targets for the months of January and February.

The favorable revenue collection by the bureau prompted President Arroyo to commend Customs officials with a message "to keep up the good work."

Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo reported to Malacañang that the bureau’s assigned target collection of P7.243 billion by the Department of Finance for the month of February was exceeded by P807 million.

Bernardo also said that the February record of P8.050 billion is 17.9 percent higher compared to last year’s collection for the same period, adding that the monthly average daily collection of P410 million was slightly higher than January’s average daily collection of P391 million.

Out of the 15 collection districts, Bernardo said that the Port of Manila, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and the ports of Batangas, Cebu Cagayan and Davao topped their respective collection targets by at least 9.5 percent.

Bernardo also hailed the NAIA Customs collection district headed by Collector Celso Templo for continuously meeting its target collection even as he urged other collection districts to work harder, despite "uncertain times."