Business groups back Bureau of Customs chief

MANILA, Philippines - Amid talks of a major revamp in the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said yesterday he was elated over the outpouring of support he has been getting from different business groups.

Alvarez said the business organizations also wrote President Aquino to express their support for him and the reforms he initiated at the BOC.

He said that he has received letters of support from the Port Users Confederation (PUC), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), Chamber of Customs Brokers (CCB), Philippine Sugar Millers Association (PSMA), and the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines Inc. (CTAP).

“I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. They sent their letters to the President without my knowledge and then they just sent me a copy of their letter with the barcode (of receipt) from Malacañang,” Alvarez said. 

Speculations are rife that Alvarez is on the way out and might be replaced by either former Camarines Norte Rep. Liwayway Vinzons-Chato or former Cagayan Rep. Manuel Mamba, both Liberal Party (LP) stalwarts. 

The President earlier expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the BOC and vowed to implement a revamp “very soon.”

In their letter, CTAP president Ruperto Bayocot and the group’s adviser, retired police director general Edgar Aglipay, appealed to the President to allow Alvarez to stay at the bureau to complete the reforms he started. 

Bayocot and Aglipay added that news of the BOC chief’s impending ouster was “shocking and downright unfair.” 

CTAP said truckers believe that Alvarez is helping the government in its advocacy to curb smuggling and weed out the undesirables in the government. 

“The commissioner has just started the badly needed reforms in the bureau and therefore, he should be allowed to complete the cycle of change, Mr. President. Commissioner Alvarez has been with the bureau for about a year only. The time, we opine, is too short for a performer and reform-oriented public servant like Commissioner Alvarez,” CTAP’s letter added.

CTAP said Alvarez also managed to forge a genuine partnership with various maritime and port sectors in society, without affecting the agency’s bureau collection.  

“It is for this reason that... CTAP earnestly throw and pledge their unwavering support for the retention of Commissioner Alvarez to insure continuity of his effective administration and leadership,” it said.

A letter sent by FPI chairman Jesus Lim Arranza meanwhile said their group found a strong ally in Alvarez.

The FPI said their group, composed of 41 industry associations and 89 corporate members, is most affected by the incidents of smuggling.

FPI also cited Alvarez’s initiative to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the FPI, initiating the First National Anti-Smuggling Summit and authorizing FPI to field its Industry Technical Experts to alert and assist the government in monitoring technically smuggled imported goods, share information, and hold regular meetings and seminars to strengthen their knowledge on the technical aspects of the imported products as well as the modus operandi of unscrupulous importers. 

“Hence, we view with grave concern the apparent concerted efforts and circulating rumors that BOC Commissioner Alvarez will be removed from his post. On behalf of our members, I am appealing to His Excellency to retain Commissioner Alvarez as commissioner of the BOC, who is not only hardworking, but is doing an excellent job,” FPI’s Arranza said. 

The PSMA for its part expressed their “unwavering confidence and trust” in Alvarez.

“Our hope was restored when you took office, Mr. President, and your appointment of Commissioner Alvarez as head of the Bureau of Customs signaled to the sugar industry that your administration is determined to stop sugar smuggling.” 

PSMA said Alvarez also filed high profile cases before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against those who violated the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP).