MANILA: The Bureau of Customs (BoC) will continue to operate in three major ports with skeleton staff to continue accepting shipments despite the Metro Manila-wide holiday next week.
In a statement, the bureau said the Port of Manila, the Manila International Container Port, and the port at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will be fully operational during the Nov. 17-20 holiday for the country’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings.
Assessment and clearing for all cargo shipments will be in “business as usual” mode for the week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., the bureau said in a statement on Friday.
Malacañang, through Memorandum Circular 84 signed in September, suspended work in government offices from Tuesday to Friday ahead of the meeting of heads of states at the annual APEC Summit. Work in the private sector, meanwhile, has been cancelled from Nov. 18-19.
The BoC has shifted to a 12-hour operating schedule in October for seven major ports — including the three in Metro Manila — as part of the agency’s overall plan to reshuffle their employees, Customs Commissioner Alberto D. Lina has said.
Such a move, he added, would dissipate “familiarity” between importers and examiners.
The Philippines’ hosting of the APEC meetings culminates next week with the last leg of ministerial meetings, which will be attended by heads of states or their representatives from 21 member-economies.
