Customs requires submission of advance cargo manifest

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is requiring shipping lines and airlines to submit to the agency an advance cargo manifest to facilitate the trading of goods and protect the country’s borders from the entry of high-risk shipments.

Customs Memorandum Order 6-2018, signed by Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña last May 7, provides that shipping lines and airlines should electronically submit the advance manifest to the Bureau’s Advanced Manifest System.

Cargo manifest or Inward Foreign Manifest (IFM) contains the detailed list of cargo on board a vessel or aircraft, including information on the goods, such as transport document numbers, consignors, consignees, marks and numbers, number and kind of packages, weight, description, quantity of the goods, and the destination.

Vessels or aircraft should also submit to the Advanced Manifest System the bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, stowage plan, container discharging list, load port survey report, and supplemental cargo manifest.

Lapeña said providing advance information on cargoes destined to the Philippines would help the BOC track and trace their movement from the port of origin and evaluate the nature and degree of risk of incoming shipments.?

“The new guidelines on cargo manifest will allow a qualified importer to process in advance the goods declaration prior to the arrival of the shipment and pre-assess the customs duties, taxes, and other charges, as well as other needed documentary requirements,” Lapeña added.