BOC, PPA ink info sharing agreement

The Bureau of Customs has signed an agreement with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the United Harbor Pilots’ Association of the Philippines (UHPAP) as part of efforts to plug revenue loopholes.

The agreement involves the sharing of information  regarding domestic movement of imported goods and vessels in all ports. 

The move is also aimed at boosting the BOC’s anti-smuggling campaign. 

Customs Commissioner Napoleon L. Morales, PPA general manager Oscar Sevilla and UHPAP president  Vicente Lagura signed the agreement which lays down the individual functions of each party for close coordination and cooperation and information sharing. 

The MOA stipulates that the PPA and UHPAP immediately report to the BOC any information on smuggling that they may encounter in any port, especially private ports. 

Morales said that PPA and UHPAP encounter information regarding probable smuggling activities in their daily operations but do not necessarily use this information in carrying out their functions.

The BOC, however, needs this information for intelligence operations and case building, the Customs chief said. 

“Our anti-smuggling campaign is hinged on information. The more information we get, the better we can operate and decide on smuggling cases. The information from PPA and UHPAP will help us in our intelligence operations, case building and post-entry audit,” Morales said. 

The PPA will also now require all vessels to submit cargo manifest and other documents prior to berthing. These documents will be used as reference for counter-checking by the BOC to check whether loaded cargo are smuggled, misdeclared or undervalued. 

The UHPAP, which provide mandatory pilotage services to docking vessels, will also provide the BOC with a regular list of vessels that are maneuvered in ports.

Morales said that the BOC will be able to track the movement of all vessels and filter out the legitimate from the dubious vessels that claim to come from another domestic port but, in fact, come from foreign shores carrying smuggled goods. 

Sevilla, for his part, said the PPA is eager to help the customs bureau in its anti-smuggling campaign.  “We work together to fight smuggling, which is a serious threat to the economy and national security,” said Sevilla.  The BOC, the government’s second largest revenue earner, is tasked to collect P254 billion in revenues  this year.