RFID
vs Barcode: Which Is IT?
The Depart-ment of Finance and Department
of Trade recently issued Joint Department Administrative
Order (JDAO) No 2 series of 2006 dated 25 October 2006
on the subject: ÒGuidelines Implementing R.A.
8792 On Electronic Payment And Collection System (EPCS)
In Government.Ó Allow me to cite key provisions
of this order:
Objectives
The JDAO is issued to prescribe policies and guidelines
in the adoption of Electronic Payment and Collection
System (EPCS) in government tran-sactions. The guidelines
are expected to bring about more efficient and effective
payment and collection services for the transacting
clients and amongst the government offices through any
authorized electronic pay-ment and collection system,
allowing the government to better manage its financial
resources, thereby improving its revenue generation
capability.
Implementation
The EPCS to be used by the government entity must comply
with the following basic principles: technology neutrality,
interoperability, operational efficiency (elimination
of red tape), information availability, security, privacy
and integrity, and auditability.
Scope
The JDAO shall apply to all government entities that
intend to use or which have existing EPCS for the collection
of fees, charges, assessments and revenues. The EPCS
should be able to accommodate various modes and channels
of electronic payments such as, but not limited to,
credit cards, automated teller machines (ATMs), debit
cards, stored-value cards, mobile wallet payments and
kiosks.
The JDAO defines government entity
as national government agencies, local government units,
government-owned and/ or controlled corporations, or
state universities and colleges which are required by
law to remit their collections to the National Treasury.
EPCS Minimum Requirements
The EPCS must have the following technical components:
Front End System – The EPCS must have a front-end
system which may be maintained by the Government Entity,
connected to a Collecting Bank, or through an Electronic
Payment Gateway Provider (EPGP). The EPCS front-end
system shall serve as the primary interface between
the Government Entity and its clients, or other systems
connected to the EPCS. It communicates through user
interfaces or standard communication protocols to collect
the data required and issue electronic official receipt
to complete the transaction.
Back-End System – This component
must be able to maintain record of transactions and
provide required daily reports to the Bureau of Treasury
in electronic format as a result of payment and collection
transactions.
Information Security Management System
– The confidentiality, privacy, integrity, and
availability of electronic information shall be based
on the Philippine National Standards on Information
Security Management System (ISMS) as approved by the
Bureau of Product Standards.
The EPCS shall comply with ISMS through
the use of physical security measures and procedures,
technical security measures, and administrative security
procedures. Independent vulnerability assessment shall
be conducted for the EPCS prior to the launching of
operations and periodically as may be recommended by
the designated Government Electronic Payment & Collection
System Evaluation Team (GEPCSET). The EPCS shall also
conform to DTI Department Administrative Order No. 8,
signed on 21 July 2006, ÒPrescribing Guidelines
for the Protection of Personal Data in Information and
Communications System in the Private SectorÓ.
Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and
Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) – The EPCS shall
be supported by a BCP/ DRP that is operational, satisfactorily
tested, and approved by the GEPCSET.
Support Services - The EPCS shall be
supported by a 24/7 Technical Support and a Customer
Help Desk.
As part of legal and documentary requirements,
the Government Entity adopting an EPCS shall designate
and authorize a Collecting Bank and/ or EPGP, to receive
and process electronic payments for fees, charges, assessments,
and revenues due to the Government Entity. In the case
of EPGP, its partner bank must be an authorized government
depository bank or an authorized agent bank.
An inter-agency GEPCSET shall be created
composed of representatives from the Department of Finance,
Department of Trade and Industry, Bureau of the Treasury,
National Computer Center, and the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas. It shall convene on a specified date, time,
and place to conduct the appropriate evaluation, accreditation
and recommend the approval of applications to adopt
EPCS or components thereof. It shall maintain a list
of accredited EPCS providers which may be referred to
by a Government Entity intending to implement an EPCS.
A technical IRR shall be issued within
60 days after the effectivity of the guidelines. The
JDAO shall take effect 15 days after publication of
its full text in the Official Gazette or two newspapers
of general circulation. The GEPCSET shall issue its
operations guidelines within 90 days after effectivity
of this JDAO.
Leo V. Morada has more than 20 years
of professional IT management experience in the Philippine
ports industry. He can be contacted at email address
lmorada3f1@yahoo.com
.
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RFID
vs Barcode: Which Is IT?
I recently noted a number of news develop-ments which
appeared to be giving stronger articulation on barcode
technology as a safer and stable investment compared
to RFID.
Let’s take as close look at two of them.
Early last month a top official of leading mobile data
capture and automation firm Intermec was quoted saying
that there is a resurgence of barcodes utilization in
manufacturing supply chain as RFID technology still
remains a future thing. It was further reported that
although the last couple of years have seen a lot of
RFID pilot studies getting underway, RFID remains in
an early adopter phase, lacking significant roll-outs
— and is likely to remain that way for a very
long time.
Intermec — which is reportedly involved with
62 RFID pilot projects across Europe, some 25 of which
are in manufacturing — believes that most of the
action for the foreseeable future will remain in barcode
technology.
Stuart Scott, senior director of international marketing
at Intermec, says that despite the initial enthusiasm
and despite the fact that a lot of its projects are
in so-called closed loop supply chains where it ought
to be easier to achieve a return on investment —
not least since there is less requirement to wait for
global data synchronization — it just isn’t
moving. ÒEven though we can assume benefits with
closed loop systems because they are easier to control,
and ROI is being derived, it’s being done slowly
and cautiously.Ó He names some exceptions, like
the automotive sector, which has long benefited specifically
from RFID’s read/write capabilities, and likewise
aerospace.
ÒThe mood has gone negative after the hype,Ó
says Scott. ÒIt’s always the way after
expectations have been set too high, even though the
technology and standards have moved on a long way and
we have the benchmark implementation in the Metro store.Ó
And he adds: ÒThe technology will get even better,
and adoption in retail will come although mostly at
the case level. But the rest are still many years away.Ó
ÒIt’s all about visibility, and that’s
about data sharing, which in turn requires accurate
data,Ó agrees Scott. ÒAnd for now that
accuracy will come from barcode scanning.Ó As
a result, Scott believes we’re about to witness
a new era of revitalized interest in barcodes right
across manufacturing, perversely stimulated by the very
activity around RFID and its relegation to the back
burner. Indeed, he sees industry upping the ante on
barcodes and looking to more sophisticated 2D devices,
for example. But he adds: ÒWhile a lot of people
think they can take advantage of 2D barcodes or maybe
RFID, linear barcodes are more than adequate if all
they are doing is tracking goods up and down supply
chains with a SKU and quantity. The issue is how to
make that real-time.Ó
Last Friday (03 November), the Philippine Daily Inquirer
published an article in its Technology Section written
by Ron Herana entitled ÒRFID: Raising the Bar
Code?Ó
He made a rather interesting comparison of both technologies
and I quote hereunder his findings:
ÒCost — High volume tags cost as much as
25 cents each. This is expected to be reduced with increased
demand for RFID and standards acceptance. High volume
bar codes are virtually free. Think about this: How
much does a small toothpaste tube cost? If you implement
RFID on an item level today, maybe it’s more than
the cost of a tag. Furthermore, bar code technology
is already a proven technology, with the cost of implementation
becoming more and more affordable.
Scanning — RFID offers a wider scanning range
and does not require a visual line of sight to scan
a tag. This means that tags placed on a carton, packed
in a box, or stored in a pallet may be read. You don’t
have to open each box to be scanned. Bar codes offer
only a read range of inches and requires line of sight
to read a bar code. The bar code should be presented
to the scanner in a particular distance. Individual
reading requires each box on a pallet to be opened and
the item pulled to be read by the scanner. However,
although requiring Òline of sightÓ, bar
code read rates are reliable even in the most challenging
environments
Reliability — RFID acceptance is still in the
early adoption stages. Its initial adoption in logistics
is on case & pallet marking. On the item level,
bar coding is still practical.
Physical Size — RFID tags can be the size of
postal stamps. The ratio between a tag’s dimension
in length and width is not a significant factor for
the reader. Bar codes are highly sensitive to aspect
radio for readability to a bar code scanner.
Lifespan — Tags have no moving parts and can
be enclosed in protective material, providing a sturdy
casing. Bar codes are subject to damage with excessive
handling and harsh environments.
Counterfeit — Tags are produced with a unique
identity code or serial number from the manufacturer.
This is embedded in the microchip, and may not be altered,
making them counterfeit proof. Bar codes may be duplicated
and attached to products and can be counterfeited.Ó
Herana concludes by saying: ÒThere is no doubt
that RFID will one day become an important technology.
However, bar code will still exist and can be a complementary
technology to RFID. It can be a back-up, redundant technology
when there’s a problem or a glitch encountered
on operating and implementing RFID.Ó
I suppose this will not be the last we’ll hear
about barcodes and RFID and subsequent developments
on this matter bear close watching.
All the while it seemed RFID is making more positive
headways particularly on the matter of globally acceptable
standards which is a highly contentious issue. It was
already reported in www.rfidupdate.com that the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) has amended its
existing passive UHF RFID standard to include the EPCglobal
Gen2 standard. The inclusion now means that Gen2-compliant
RFID hardware will also be considered compliant by ISO
standards. From an end-user perspective, the incorporation
of Gen2 into ISO/IED 18000 will hopefully result in
wider variety and lower prices for RFID equipment. It
is claimed that by certifying their Gen2 wares, RFID
hardware vendors will implicitly also achieve ISO certification
Leo V. Morada has more than 20 years of professional
IT management experience in the Philippine ports industry.
He can be contacted at email address lmorada3f1@yahoo.com.
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Projected
Trends in IT Spending
WE are now into the last quarter of 2006 and in most
companies this period coincides with final decision-making
on IT budgets for 2007.
For those IT and business decision-makers who are still
planning their IT expenditures next year, I would like
to share with you highlights of the latest studies done
by International Data Corporation (IDC) for the Philippines.
Last month IDC Philippines published its most recent
study entitled Vertical Horizons: IT Spending Patterns
of Primary Vertical Markets in the Philippines examining
the IT spending patterns of and trends in the primary
vertical markets in the Philippines based on IDC’s
Continuum Survey, 2006, which is a survey of 210 companies.
With focus on IT hardware products such as PCs, servers,
storage, smart handheld devices (SHDs), and mobile phones,
this study also expounds on market opportunities in
the different vertical markets based on future spending
direction.
According to IDC, the vertical markets in the Philippines
are expected to shift to higher gear in terms of IT
spending in the next five years. Based on a previous
report, the demand from the communications and media,
banking, and discrete manufacturing verticals will still
heavily shape the IT spending landscape in the country.
IDC, however, believes that bright business opportunities
from the distribution, service, and public sector verticals
can also be seen in the horizon, especially as the Philippine
market is now embracing IT adoption on almost all levels
of business engagements, combined with inherent Filipino
ways of doing business.
Further progress in the next five years
Augusto Roman Carlos, market analyst, Personal Computing
Research, IDC Philippines, says “IT spending from
the vertical markets in the Philippines are seen to
further progress in the next five years. However, intense
competition characterizes the IT market landscape these
days. In order to gain good footing in the market, utmost
importance should be given to particular factors that
influence the spending behaviors of the primary vertical
markets.
“Faster application deployment will be the main
strategic requirement for the public sector, financial
service, manufacturing, construction, and resource firms.
Building secure IT environments, on the other hand,
will be the main aim of companies in the distribution
and service segment. In addition, reducing total IT
costs will influence the future spending of infrastructure
service firms”.
Consistent with the findings of previous reports, one
of the important insights gathered from this IDC study
is how future spending will still revolve around hardware
buying.
Primary vertical markets’ IT buying behaviors
would largely be influenced by strategic requirements,
depending on the financial capability and internal processes
of a firm and wildcard economic or business concerns.
Furthermore, overall IT consolidation was found to be
the most important IT concern of firms in the public
sector and financial service verticals. On the other
hand, the distribution and service, manufacturing, construction
and resources verticals prioritized IT service management,
while infrastructure services zeroed in on information
life-cycle management (ILM). IDC further finds that
replacement and maintenance were the main IT investment
objectives across the four primary vertical markets
(except the financial service vertical, which focused
more on first-time strategic investments).
Another study released last August entitled Philippine
IT Spending User Segmentation 2006-2010 Forecast and
Analysis predicts that the country will maintain the
momentum in IT spending in 2006 and beyond, expanding
by a 10.4% compound annual growth rate through 2010.
2005 saw major shifts in IT spending level in the Philippines,
with the industry growing by 20% to reach US$1.4 billion,
after finally hitting the US$1-billion mark in 2004.
Although the economy did not grow as high as in 2004,
positive business sentiment brought about renewed commitments
from the end-user community to particularly zero in
on key IT investments. These IT investments allowed
companies to achieve business efficiency, as well as
provided addressable opportunities for IT vendors and
service providers. IDC reports that the country’s
overall IT sending is seen to lean toward hardware centricity,
owing to the fact that a large proportion of the population
has yet to adopt or fully implement IT.
The hardware segment will account for 67% of the IT
market in 2006, with PCs, networking hardware, printers,
and smart handheld devices (SHDs) topping the demand.
Services is expected to account for 22% of the total
market, while the software segment will garner 11%.
In my previous articles about IT spending patterns
I have observed that high IT spending levels in the
Philippine ports and cargo transport industry are traditionally
the hallmark of large corporations that are likewise
listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange such as Aboitiz
Transport System, Asian Terminals Inc and International
Container Terminal Services Inc.
Growing IT spending on VOIP and broadband internet
are clearly being felt based on existing commercial
operations of PLDT, Smart, Globe, Eastern Telecoms and
Broadband Philippines that cater to businesses in the
port area and its immediate environs. But the bulk of
IT expenditures by SMEs in the ports and cargo transport
sector seems to remain focused on PC desktop and server
hardware as well as software licenses for office automation.
Tangible levels of IT spending on RFID are still not
evident but one area where a unique trend seems likely
in the ports sector is IT spending for port security
technology.
The figure below illustrates the overall IT expenditure
allocations of the primary vertical markets based on
the study entitled Vertical Horizons: IT Spending Patterns
of Primary Vertical Markets in the Philippines.
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Recent
Developments To Watch Out For
Technology Challenges for a Privatized North
Harbor
The planned privatization of North Harbor is getting
a boost nowadays. It was recently reported that PPA
recommended to the National Economic and Development
Authority that the policy against having one operator
for Manila's ports be lifted since a monopoly no longer
exists.
Newspaper accounts identify at least three entities
which reportedly expressed interest in the plans for
a privatized North Harbor - Magsaysay Shipping Lines
and Lorenzo Shipping Corp, Harbour Centre Port Terminals
Inc, and International Container Terminal Services Inc.
From the perspective of IT planning and strategy, the
North Harbor area constitutes one of the most challenging
sites for building an information and communications
technology infrastructure and implementing highly integrated
software applications for day-to-day cargo and passenger
operations. If the privatization plan pushes through
and the contract to rehabilitate, manage and operate
North Harbor cargo and passenger terminal activities
is awarded to a single operator, I really hope that
the winning contractor will integrate a comprehensive
ICT plan into its overall business model for NH port
operations.
The Latest about Customs Computerization Program
Some industry observers have asked me about the latest
status of BOC's computerization program. I recall that
the last development I shared with our readers months
ago was BOC's move to accredit five IT service providers
as value-added service providers (VASP). Other than
this, nothing much is being heard about the computerization
project.
Our readers will be happy to know that Deputy Commissioner
Alexander Arevalo will actually discuss the latest developments
on this matter when he speaks as a resource speaker
during the PortCalls International Trade and Customs
Conference on 17 August 2006 to be held at Hyatt Hotel
& Casino Manila.
Progress of US Megaports Project In The Port
of Manila
In January of this year I reported that efforts are
underway to implement the US Megaports Initiative in
the Port of Manila which,, upon completion, will result
in the installation of special equipment at the South
Harbor and MICT to detect hidden shipments of nuclear
and other radioactive material and help thwart terrorist
attempts to smuggle material for nuclear weapons and
so-called "dirty bombs".
During that month a technical team from the US stayed
in Manila to meet with officials of the PPA, BOC, Philippine
Nuclear Research Institute and representatives of Manila's
port terminal operators (ATI and ICTSI) for discussions
on technical site surveys and design of the proposed
detection system.
Official US government press releases describe the
project's goal as "to enable foreign government
personnel at key seaports to use radiation detection
equipment to screen shipping containers entering and
leaving these ports, regardless of the containers' destination,
for nuclear and other radioactive material that could
be used against the United States or its allies. Through
this Initiative, DOE installs radiation detection equipment
at foreign seaports that is then operated by foreign
government officials and port personnel working at these
ports".
ICTSI already disclosed sometime ago its new automated
gate system which apparently incorporates abovementioned
detection systems. Over the South Harbor, construction
of these detection facilities is ongoing. What port
users are now awaiting are the final operational procedures
related to the Megaports system.
Breaking News: Port Security Charge for Hong
Kong Shippers
A report published in www.porttechnology.org says that
"five (5) terminal operators in Hong Kong will
implement a port security charge starting August 15,
2006 to cover the cost of stronger security measures
(see related story below).
"Hong Kong International Terminals Limited, Modern
Terminals Limited, COSCO-HIT Terminals (Hong Kong) Limited,
Asia Container Terminals Limited, and CSX World Terminals
Hong Kong Limited will charge HK$20 per 20 ft container
and HK$30 per 40 ft and 45 ft box.
"The fees will be paid directly to the terminal
operators and not to the shipping lines for safety concerns.
If the fees were paid to shipping lines, there would
be no transparency in how the money was spent. A review
after 18 months of the implementation date will be held
to assess how the collected money was spent on added
security. The choice to push through with the levy will
also be discussed.
"The charge is expected to generate more than
HK$245m (US$31.4m), according to a report. Based on
last year's laden throughput of 12.24m TEU, the charge
would have generated HK$244.86m."
I wonder how Philippine port users will react to this
development.
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IFM Submission Through Data
Diskette: Is It Still Worth It?
THE mode of submitting inward foreign manifest to the
Bureau of Customs (BOC) in data diskette has been in
existence for 12 years now.
It all started when BOC issued Customs Memorandum Order
45-94 dated 03 November 1994 on the subject: "Full
Compliance To Electronic Submission Of Inward Cargo
Manifest". This mandated that all inward foreign
manifest be submitted in electronic diskette media in
addition to hard copy manifests. During that time the
required file format was in DBF (a text file format
used by dBase III and dBase III Plus programming tools
which were then widely used).
Five years later, BOC issued Customs Memorandum Order
11-99 dated 02 June 1999 on the subject: "Implementation
Of ACOS Manifest". It mandated that all electronic
submission of cargo manifest (either through EDI, email
or data diskette) shall be in accordance with the new
ACOS format.
Additional modes of manifest submission were simultaneously
introduced: through electronic mail (ACOS manifest is
sent as file attachment) and through EDI (utilizing
the services of a customs accredited value-added network).
The number of hard copy manifest required for submission
together with the electronic manifest were likewise
reduced to a minimum.
Role Played by Cargo Handling Operators
The existing regulation is for the electronic manifest
to be submitted to BOC. But the implementing procedure
in the Port of Manila and MICP is actually for shipping
lines/agents, consolidators and freight forwarders to
submit electronic manifest through the facilities of
cargo handling operators (CHOs) ATI and ICTSI. Upon
receipt of the electronic manifest (submitted through
EDI, email or data diskette), both CHOs upload the files
directly to BOC ACOS computer system using ACOS computer
workstations and network access specifically made available
to them by customs). At the same time they upload a
copy of the same electronic manifest to their own respective
CHO computer databases.
In the case of import shipments at Harbour Centre Port
Terminal, Inc, the electronic manifest data diskette
is submitted directly to the office of the Deputy Collector
for Operations (Port of Manila) where the files are
subsequently uploaded to the ACOS database. So far I
understand that Harbour Centre does not retain a copy
of this electronic manifest information for its own
use unlike ATI and ICTSI.
Data Diskettes Still Account for Bulk of Electronic
Manifest Submission
I don't have statistics on hand but my gut feel is that
data diskette submission still accounts for the bulk
of electronic manifest submission, particularly for
co-loader manifests and consolidation manifests. This
is confirmed by the large number of diskettes handled
by ATI and ICTSI staff at designated IFM receiving offices.
An exception is the submission of main vessel manifests
by shipping lines/agents since most of these are done
through email.
It will be very useful if both CHOs make available
their statistics on this matter.
Since the very beginning, the act of receiving electronic
manifest information in data diskette and subsequently
uploading them to ACOS constitutes a service rendered
"free" by both ATI and ICTSI. There are numerous
reasons for this. First, BOC itself does not mandate
any fee for manifest submission (unless done by an accredited
value-added network). Second, both arrastre operators
consider this as a "public service" to port
users and a tangible manifestation of their support
for BOC computerization efforts. Third, most port users
consider data diskette submission as very convenient.
Service Is Free - But Is It Efficient For All
Concerned?
The past 12 years constitute more than adequate time
to take a second look at data diskette submission and
really examine if its promised benefits are valid today
as well as for the next few years.
One of the main things to consider is whether or not
the new BOC AsycudaWorld system, which is Internet based,
will still allow data diskette submission.
Another consideration is the fact that while ATI and
ICTSI continue to invest in more technologically advanced
IT systems and infrastructure and provide web-based
services such as container track and trace and electronic
payment of port charges, the continued existence of
data diskette submission will be more difficult to justify
internally from the perspective of business process
improvement.
Just imagine this: Each data diskette is manually uploaded
to both the BOC and arrastre operator system. If there
are less than 10 diskettes to be processed the effort
is not much. What if there is simultaneous submission
of 25 diskettes? How about if data diskettes are rejected
because they are virus infected? There is also a delay
in the completion of manifest upload to ACOS if the
co-loader and consolidation manifest files are uploaded
ahead of the main vessel manifest.
Gov't Expected To Provide New Technology Direction
So what is the direction ahead for data diskette submission
of electronic manifest? This is this column's food for
thought for port users.
I believe this is one area where the BOC is bound to
exercise technology leadership as well as regulatory
mandate in view of its ongoing computerization project.
But what is certain is that port users will welcome
coordination of respective efforts between the BOC and
the Philippine Ports Authority - which has its own electronic
manifest initiative - and the formulation of a common
initiative that will benefit all industry stakeholders.
Leo V. Morada has more than 20 years of professional
IT management experience in the Philippine ports industry.
He can be contacted at email address lmorada3f1@yahoo.com.
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PEZA Accreditation for VASP's
of Electronic Import Permit System
THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) recently
issued invited eligible value-added solutions providers
(VASPs) for the development, installation and implementation
of the PEZA electronic import permit system. Applications
for accreditation must be submitted on or before 5:00
p.m. of August 31, 2006 (complete details are in www.peza.gov.ph)
For those who want a brief understanding of this development,
the accreditation guidelines say that the filing of
import permits by PEZA-registered economic zone enterprises
with tax and duty-free importation incentives is a mission-critical
function and in order to simplify and facilitate the
processing of import permits, PEZA will implement the
Electronic Import Permit System (eIPS) through VASPs.
"Pursuant to PEZA Board Resolution No. 06-261
approving the implementation of the eIPS project, the
following guidelines for the accreditation of VASPs
for the development and operation of the PEZA Electronic
Import Permit System, are hereby prescribed and promulgated
for the information, guidance and compliance of all
concerned:
"Definition of Terms. In connection with the PEZA
accreditation of VASPs for the development and operation
of automated systems such as the eIPS, the following
definitions are hereby adopted:
a. Electronic Import Permit System or eIPS shall refer
to an online system for filing and processing of PEZA
Import Permit applications of PEZA-registered economic
zone enterprises which ensures that importations covered
by the enterprises' tax and duty-free importation privilege
are limited to machinery and equipment, raw materials,
parts and components and other production inputs required
for the manufacture of their registered products and/or
operation of their registered activities;
b. Value-Added Service Providers or VASPs are reputable
IT enterprises with the technical expertise and capability
for the development, installation and implementation
of eIPS inside economic zones, which will allow economic
zone enterprises to have their Import Permit applications
processed on a round-the-clock (i.e., 24x7) basis.
"Required Components of the Electronic Import
Permit System (eIPS). The eIPS, which PEZA-accredited
VASPs shall operate continuously on a round-the-clock
basis, shall have the following automated components:
a. Electronic module for the preparation and submission
of the Import Permit (eIPS) application, in compliance
with the data requirements and specification of PEZA;
b. Electronic and secured data network infrastructure
for the connectivity for PEZA-registered enterprises
or their respective authorized representatives to eIPS;
c. Electronic module for the validation of the items
declared in the eIPS application against the respective
list of importables as approved by PEZA and other screening
parameters as may be specified by PEZA;
d. Electronic module for the collection of payment of
the PEZA Processing Fee for Import Permit applications
(e.g., e-banking, G-cash, auto-debit, etc.), as well
as recording and reporting of each payment collected;
e. Electronic module for validation of the ownership
of every import shipment, to be triggered by the payment
of the PEZA Processing Fee for the application for an
Import Permit for such shipment; and
f. Electronic module for confirmation of delivery to
the economic zone destination of every tax and duty-exempt
import shipment released on the basis of a PEZA Import
Permit processed under the eIPS.
"Qualifications of VASP for PEZA Accreditation.
Value-Added Solutions Providers seeking accreditation
with PEZA shall meet the following minimum qualifications:
a. A minimum of three (3) consecutive years of actual
involvement in the development and implementation of
electronic systems/ solutions, in the business, industrial
or public sector projects or undertaking;
b. Possess in-house technical expertise and capability
for developing and implementing electronic/automated
systems, and/or partnership with other IT organizations/facilities
that will ensure access to specialized expertise on
customs procedures, security infrastructures for network/electronic
systems;
c. Familiarity with Import-Export transactions of PEZA-registered
economic zone enterprises, customs cargo clearance procedures
and related operations.
d. Has the capacity to provide a 24x7 non-stop service;
e. Willing to adjust and further test their proposed
solution to satisfy other requirements or perform related
operations or processes that PEZA may decide to incorporate
in its Import Permit processing function;
f. Willing to install and provide PEZA with access to
the approved solution at no cost, as well as the database
generated on all Import Permit applications processed.
"Provided, that the verification for the compliance
by a VASP with these minimum qualifications shall include
an evaluation of the following performance and capability
indicators:
a. Three operating electronic/automated systems developed
and installed by the VASP for client organizations,
which the client organizations had formally acknowledged
as effectively providing the solutions required, as
specified in the service contract for the VASP's engagement;
b. In-house staff complement with relevant educational
qualifications, experience in the fields of Enterprise
Systems Design and Development, Software Applications
Development, Database Architecture and Administration,
Network Design and Administration, and IT Training;
and
c. Formal or documented relationship with other IT organiza-tions
with specialized expertise or capabilities relevant
to the develop-ment and implementation of the eIPS.
"Compliance of the Proposed eIPS to PEZA Minimum
Requirements. The eIPS should satisfy the minimum requirements,
which shall form part of these guidelines. In addition,
PEZA shall determine the effectiveness of the proposed
eIPS in complying with the objectives of the Authority's
Import Permit issuing function, through conduct of live
test-processing of actual Import Permit applications
of economic zone enterprises. The proposed eIPS should
also be compatible with the requirements of the automated
import cargo transfer system being developed by the
Bureau of Customs as part of its computerization program."
Leo V. Morada has more than 20 years of professional
IT management experience in the Philippine ports industry.
He can be contacted at email address lmorada3f1@yahoo.com.
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Malaysian ICT
Firm interested to recruit Filipino Staff
Portrade dotcom Bhd (Portrade) - a Malaysian
company that develops, provides and manages technology
app-lications for maritime port operators and related
trading and port user community is currently looking
for qualified candidates to fill up the position of
Functional Analyst.
A maximum of five slots will be filled and are now open
to interested Filipino IT professionals as well as those
who want to embark on an IT career. The position is
project-based engagement and may involve a maximum contract
of two years.
Candidates must have the following qualifications:
¥ A Degree or Diploma in Accounting, Computer Science
or Business Studies
¥ 2 to 3 years' working experience in an accounting
environment preferably with experience in using established
computerized accounting applications
¥ Have a keen interest in the design and implementation
of computerized applications
In addition to the above qualifications, successful
candidates must show good analytical and communication
skills, ability to work independently, willingness to
travel and be away from base office for an extended
period of time. Having a good command of both written
and spoken English is essential. Fresh graduates with
good academic results are encouraged to apply.
Portrade is a Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) status
company and has been listed in the Malaysian technology
stock exchange MESDAQ since 2003. It has offices in
Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, Sarawak state. In the Philippines,
company operations are handled by a subsidiary - Portrade
Philippines.
Portrade's core technology solution - Integrated Port
Management System (IPMS) - is a comprehensive enterprise
resource management application for general cargo and
container port operations used by several ports in East
Malaysia as well as the Philippine Ports Authority.
How To Apply: Interested candidates are invited to submit
their resume detailing working experiences, expected
salary, contact telephone number, email address and
a recent passport size photograph and email to this
columnist: lmorada3f1@yahoo.com .
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed onsite Manila
during the 3rd or 4th week of October 2006.
BOC In Final Evaluation Of VASP Applications
The Bureau of Customs is currently at the final stage
of evaluating applications for accreditation of value-added
service providers (VASP).
BOC envisions the VASP as the first line of contact
of port users for the purpose of undertaking a comprehensive
range of transactions for customs processing under the
Internet-based AsycudaWorld (e-Customs) system. These
processes encompass electronic manifest, import declaration
(formal, informal, warehousing, transhipment), payment
of duties and taxes, export declaration, bonds management,
raw materials liquidation, and online release.
Last May, BOC invited to a meeting at least five entities
which - if they meet customs criteria - would most likely
be accredited as VASP and therefore authorized to offer
web-based services to port users and stakeholders conducting
business with customs. Informed sources say that only
three or four entities are now undergoing final evaluation.
PEZA Issues Latest Memo Order On Electronic Import System
PEZA recently issued Memorandum Order 2006-003 dated
11 September 2006 on the subject matter: Implementation
of the PEZA Electronic Import Permit System (e-IPS)
for Ta and Duty-Free Importations of Economic Zone Export-Producers
and IT Enterprises.
It partly states that "the implementation of the
PEZA e-IPS aims to simplify procedures and accelerate
approval cycle time in the processing of applications
for import shipments of PEZA-Registered Economic Zone
Export Enterprises (EZ-EPs) and Information Technology
Enterprises (ITEs). Specifically, the e-IPS will enable
the EZ-EPs and ITEs to file electronic Import Permit
application, pay the processing fees through electronic
modes of payments and print system-generated electronic
Import Permit. The implementation of the PEZA e-IP system
is through the following VASPs which have been accredited
by PEZA to date: E-Konek Pilipinas Inc. (E-Konek) and
InterCommerce Network Services Inc. (INS).
"The e-IPS shall be implemented in the processing
of import permit applications and release of the cargo
initially for air cargo import shipments cleared through
the Customs-PEZA Clearance Office (CPCO) at NAIA. Implementation
of the PEZA e-IPS system at the other ports of entry
e.g., Port of Manila, Manila International Container
Port, Port of Cebu, shall be covered by a separate PEZA
Memorandum Order."
Implementing procedure of the e-IPS System is a seven-step
process: List of Importables, Enrolment with Accredited
VASPs, Enrolment for Payment of PEZA Fees, Connectivity
Test and Users Training, Electronic Filing of Import
Permit, Release of Goods at Port of Entry, and Delivery
of the Goods to the Zone.
PEZA-accredited e-Payment banks are Land Bank, Rizal
Commercial Banking Corp, and Union Bank (accreditation
in process).
Leo V. Morada has more than 20 years of professional
IT management experience in the Philippine ports industry.
He can be contacted at email address lmorada3f1@yahoo.com
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