BOC puts cap on excessive sending of info to E2M

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ID-100254765The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has reduced the amount of transmissions that can be accepted by its electronic-to-mobile (E2M) system as one way to minimize the sending of duplicate data.

Lodging of all data to the E2M system through the facilities of the BOC’s accredited value-added service providers (VASPs) is now limited to 50 records per batch sent, according to Customs Memorandum Order No. 04-2016.

CMO 04-2016, signed by Customs commissioner Alberto Lina on January 27, took effect immediately.

BOC said the limit is “to ensure the efficiency and effective operation of the E2M server by 23×7 operations by de-clogging unnecessary transmissions of data thru the facility of the Value Added Service Providers (VASPs).”

The new measure, it added, is to “ensure that the VASP shall control and allow data transmission from its clients that are not duplicates of previously transmitted data without E2M System response.”

Moreover, BOC said this is one way to monitor the compliance of the VASP and its clientele, and to install the necessary measures for non-complying VASPs.

“After the receipt of response from the BOC E2M System for the first 50 records transmitted, the next sending can be done,” the CMO instructed.

If the E2M does not respond within five minutes of transmittal, the client should inform the VASP immediately.

“If the VASP cannot troubleshoot the problem or (it is) beyond their capabilities, the VASP shall elevate the problem immediately to the MISTG (Management Information System and Technology Group) Help desk thru email, text messages and/or telephone calls,” the order said.

The MISTG Helpdesk will then inform the MISTG 3rd Level Technical Support (Technical Team or Information Team) about this, and the team in turn will endorse to the Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group the manifest submissions that are encountering problems.

The BOC said VASPs are required to “strictly implement and comply” with CMO 04-2016 “or face the consequences to be meted by the VASP Accreditation Committee (VAC).”

The VAC will issue a resolution in case of non-compliance.

Meanwhile, MISTG personnel who will provide 24/7 services under CMO 04-2016 are allowed to file claims for overtime services.

A PortCalls source from one of the VASPs said they need to clarify several provisions of the order with BOC. For one, the source said BOC must clarify its definition of “batch” and “record” as this might affect manifest submission in case one manifest contains multiple bills of lading (B/L). “If one record is counted as one B/L, then that would be a problem,” the source noted.

“Another problem is when the E2M goes down and transmissions accumulate in our server, as soon as E2M goes up, our server will send all pending/accumulated records which may exceed 50,” the source added. – Roumina Pablo

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