WASHINGTON: The Bureau of Customs said Wednesday they will focus on their mandate to ensure border security that will eventually lead to higher collections. “If we want to improve our collection target, we have to do our part in border security” in order to help stop smuggling, Faeldon said during the first public consultation of the Implementing Rules and Regulation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act under the new administration. Faeldon made the comment as he mentions that there are 93 private wharfs operating in Zamboanga Peninsula.
“Now in order to grow our collection target, we need to do our part in the border security, if we can’t stop this shipment of commodities then we will collect nothing. Instead of P55 million target per year in the port of Zamboanga we can collect at least a billion in that port, based on the movement of commodities from foreign vessels,” Faeldon said.
“If we want to improve our collection target, we have to do our part in border security” in order to help stop smuggling, he said. Aside from the border security, Faeldon also said that they will end the corruption in the agency which, according to him, is “killing the collection.” “Let’s fix first corruption. Do not dream of the target collection met, if the corruption in the bureau exists, because corruption is killing collection. Let’s address corruption,” he said. The BoC underperformed in its latest collection for the month of July. The agency recorded a P13 billion shortfall for July following decrease in the volume and value of imports.
Meanwhile, Department of Finance and the Bureau of Customs started the first of a series of consultations on the implementing rules and regulations of a new law that aims to modernize the BOC and institute reforms in the agency. The forum was organized to clarify the procedure in drafting the IRR of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and gather inputs from stakeholders.
“There are so many things that we need to put in place so that we can fix the bureau. Today’s activity will give the answer to this,” said Faeldon in his opening remarks. Faeldon said that under the new law, he plans to beef up border security measures, especially in provincial ports to beef up customs collections and prevent smuggling. Under the new law, the BOC is required to come up with an improved system on customs administration and procedures that comply with international standards. Among the other expected reforms under the CMTA are the full electronic processing of all documents, forms and receipts, along with streamlining methods for the examination and valuation of imports and exports.
