Bureau of Customs exceeds first semester collection target

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is halfway through in meeting its P197.64-billion collection target this year after posting collections of P94.76 billion in the first six months of the year.

Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the collection, which is based on initial reports of the bureau’s 15 districts for June, represents at least P4.616 billion in surplus, or 5.1 percent above their P90.14-billion target for the first half.

A BOC financial service report showed a surplus of P84 million in June after the bureau collected P18.53 billion. It also showed that seven of the bureau’s districts were able to surpass their respective targets.

Like in previous months, the Port of Batangas and Port of Manila topped BOC’s collection drive with a surplus of P494 million and P161 million, respectively.

Other districts that met their targets for June were the Ports of San Fernando, Iloilo, Tacloban, Davao and Clark.

Morales again commended all seven Customs districts, calling their performance "heroic and a testament to their professionalism and dedication to government service."

Morales reiterated he would not hesitate to replace district collectors who consistently fail to meet their assigned targets.

"We will pursue the reassignment or removal of district collectors who consistently fail to meet their targets. We have to ensure that successful collection drives are achieved in all ports across the country," he stressed.

The BOC chief earlier ordered a reshuffle among district collectors who have failed to meet their assignments. The reassignment was postponed since Finance Secretary Margarito Teves has yet to review records of the bureau and approve the order.

Records of Bureau of Treasury from January to May showed the BOC has exceeded its target collection in the first five months, except in April when the bureau fell short in meeting its target by some P239 million.

The BOC posted a surplus of P898 million in January, P306 million in February, P2.473 billion in March, and P1.092 billion in May.

Morales, who was appointed by President Arroyo last month as permanent chief of the BOC, remained hopeful the bureau would meet its P197-billion target collection this year.

The Customs chief has attributed the good performance of the bureau to the five-point reform agenda he introduced to boost collection campaign of the agency, which include revenue enhancement programs, an intensified anti-smuggling drive, improved trade facilitation, and personnel and corporate life development.

The first five months of Morales as head of the BOC has been marked by an intensified campaign against big-time smugglers. It was during this period when the bureau raided the 168 Mall, arrested and filed charges against suspected smugglers, and revived of a special task force against illegal importation.

Recently, the BOC scored anew in its campaign against smuggling with the confiscation of some P19 million worth of imported used clothing, frozen pork meat and woven fabrics in separate operations in Northern Luzon and Manila.

Operatives of the bureau’s Intelligence and Investigation Service seized the imported products that came in four container vans during successive operations in Benguet, North Luzon Expressway and the MICP.

Morales said the bureau will also pursue its campaign in local courts and will file 43 new criminal cases against suspected smugglers found violating the Tariff and Customs Code.

The BOC chief said they are now collating evidence in preparation for the filing of separate cases against at least 10 companies and several Customs employees with the Department of Justice.

Among them is a company allegedly involved in the smuggling steel products worth P80 million.