Customs to implement paperless transactions

MANILA, Philippines - Paperless transactions will be implemented at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to help rid the agency of corruption.

Through a steady phase-in of paperless transactions, Commissioner Alberto Lina said doing business with the BOC would be easier.

Through Customs Memorandum Order 29-2015, steps would be taken to eliminate unnecessary use of paper and expensive forms, he added.

Electronic information will be shared with other government agencies like the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Philippine Statistics Authority the National Economic and Development Authority, and the Tariff Commission, Lina said.

“Eliminating red tape and all the ills that go with it is an important step in improving the overall performance of Customs and in restoring the public’s confidence in the bureau,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Agaton Uvero is tasked to implement the directive. With the paperless transaction scheme, the use of the Import Entry and Internal Revenue Declaration form and Supplemental Declaration on Valuation and the acceptance of printouts of the electronic Airway Bill will be discontinued.

“Our aim is to reduce documentation and paper costs by as much as 70 percent,” Lina said.

“We will achieve this by doing away with expensive carbonized forms and costly airway bill forms. We will also lessen the number of documents required from seven sets to two sets.” 

This reduction will cover around 50,000 transactions a month, Uvero said.

“You could just imagine the positive impact on costs,” he said. 

“Zero paper use would also benefit the environment. Less trees would be sacrificed, less waste would need to be disposed.”