Ultimatum for BOC Cebu’s stay at CPA building expires

CEBU, Philippines -

The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) has given the bureau just until yesterday to stay at the building at Pier 6 and no extension was granted, by far.

BOC Cebu district collector Edward dela Cuesta told The Freeman yesterday that he has engaged in some talks with CPA about the problem but no clear agreement was reached.

“Nag usap usap pero wala. We will see by Monday if our parking area will be filled with container vans,” Dela Cuesta said, lamenting that it is very ironic for the government’s second biggest revenue earner to have no building of its own.

And even if BOC has found a new space to rent, it does not have the funds to pay for the rent because the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) still has not released the P48 million approved by President Benigno Aquino III for the purpose.

Cuesta said this is exactly the reason why they have requested CPA for an extension.

A Customs official who requested anonymity said if only the BOC can spend its collections, it can very well build its own building.

“Kung pwede nga lang bibili na lang kami nang building kasi marami namang pera ang Customs Cebu. Kaso lang hindi pwede yan. Of course, gusto na naming umalis dito sa building, pero saan kami pupunta?. We cannot spend our collection to buy a building,” the official said in jest.

BOC has surpassed its target collection by over P261 million from January to July this year and is expected to collect more than P700 million for August alone.

Based on records, from January to July, the bureau was able to collect a total of P5,244,042,000.00, which is higher than its target of P4,983,015,000.00.

It is targeting to collect P8.6 billion for the entire year.

The official said BOC’s problem could have been solved easily if top officials of the bureau or the President himself would intervene. The problem, the official said, is that there seems to be no action on the matter. Hopefully, the official said, the issue will be resolved before anyone would get hurt when the building the BOC is occupying crumble.

The building BOC is currently occupying has sustained huge cracks following the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu last year, according to a report of the Office of the Building Official. – (FREEMAN)