Belmonte granted highest BOC rank

CEBU, Philippines – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has promoted Cebu Customs District Collector Ricardo Belmonte to Customs Collector VI, the highest rank that can be given to officials of the BOC.

In an interview with The Freeman, Belmonte said he is happy with the promotion especially that only four have so far held that rank in the bureau.

A rank of Customs Collector VI is a promotion granted by the President, which would make an appointee into a presidential appointee.

Belmonte’s promotion commenced last April 7 and was transmitted by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to the Secretary Margarito Teves of the Department of Finance on April 21. Belmonte subsequently took his oath before Teves last April 30.

When he assumed as district collector of Cebu Port in 2006, Belmonte vowed to cut red tape to improve revenue collection.

So far, as of the port’s April 2009 collection, Belmonte said they are way ahead of their target collection by at least P10 million.

Before getting assigned to Cebu, Belmonte, who has served the BOC for 27 years, was then collector of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila International Container Port and the Port of Manila. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO (THE FREEMAN)