Customs collects P2.8-B in penalties from undervalued shipments

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) boosted its revenue collection efforts by P2.8 billion in April and May alone as a result of additional tax duties and penalties slapped on misdeclared shipments.

Based on alert orders issued by BOC commissioner Antonio Bernardo, the bureau was able to track illegal imports, misdeclared or undervalued shipments and other forms of technical smuggling in sustained efforts to curb these practices which have been depriving the government of much-needed revenues.

Bernardo said the amount represented additional duties, taxes and penalties imposed by the bureau on these kind of shipments.

He said some P16 million more could be raised from the recent seizure of 30 container vans of smuggled rice imports which would be auctioned off through a public bidding.

The rice shipments came from Thailand and were declared as lactose feed and construction materials.

Although the importation of rice have been liberalized to help local farmers under the Farmers as Importers Program, the smuggling of the commodity has continued.

Under the program, farmers’ groups accredited by the National Food Authority are issued quotas to import rice and sell these at the domestic market to improve their marginal profit.

Earlier, about P10 million worth of assorted cargo consisting of motor vehicles, used clothing and electronic goods were confiscated also due to misdeclaration.