PhilExport lauds Customs move to curb red tape

CEBU, Philippines – PhilExport-Cebu welcomes the move of the Bureau of Customs to simplify and cut bureaucracy on the processing of documentary requirements covering importer accreditation.

Since most exporters also imports raw materials from abroad, PhilExport-Cebu said this is a good gesture from the government, recognizing the difficult plight of importers and exporters in the country.

Bureau of Customs Commission Napoleon Morales signed on April 13, 2009 Customs Memorandum order number 15-2009 which provides that applications for accreditation only need to secure seven critical documents instead of 34, with the objective that the reduction of the documentary requirements will expedite the accreditation process.

The released of the memorandum is recognized as the result of Cebuano exporters and importers strong plea to curb the documentary requirements of BoC, as the industry is currently facing difficult times.

The Group, led by PHilExport-Cebu president Jay Y. Yuvallos met with Department of Finance (DOF) secretary Margarito Teves last March (2009) for, among other problems, the fast-tracking of the accreditation of importers with the BOC, a process which had cost exporters and importers so much time to due the red-tape and the 34 documentary requirements that had to be complied with.

During the especially meeting with exporters and importers with Teves, the finance head agreed to help the exporters in administrative matters, such as the document’s long processing time, which are affected by the “bureaucracy within the BoC.

Exporters/importers’ claimed that documents are going back and forth to from Cebu to Manila offices just to get processed and approved, these unresolved issue of bureaucracy in the bureau has contribute largely affects to the competitiveness and mounting documentary expenses of exporters.

During the meeting, Teves vowed to work on this problem, as is under administrative control. Likewise, he committed to endorse exporters’ requests that need an Executive Order (EO).

However, Teves reminded the exporters and importers that there are demands from the exporters that also need to be compromised, specifically if it affects the government’s revenue generation bid.

As a result, during the cabinet meeting presided by President Gloria Arroyo in Cebu last May 12,2009, a commitment was made by Teves that on top of the reduced documentary requirements the maximum processing time will also be reduced to seven days. 

Importers and brokers who will not hear of any disapproval from BOC Manila, seven days after their applications have been stamped received by BOC Cebu could rest assured that their applications are “good as approved.”

The CMO will take effect 15 days after it is published in major newspapers, according to the document, which Philexport received from the bureau last week.