The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized P20.58 billion worth of smuggled goods, mostly counterfeit items, illegal drugs and tobacco products, in 2019.
Of the total, P9.44 billion were counterfeit products, P3.59 billion illegal drugs, and P2.67 billion cigarettes and tobacco products—accounting for a combined value of P15.7 billion, or three-fourths of the agency’s total haul for 2019, BOC said in a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.
The rest were agricultural goods (P398.47 million), general merchandise (59.87 million), vehicles and accessories (106.55 million), used clothing (P66.86 million), steel products (P78.59 million), electronic goods (P21 million), firearms (P815,000), currency (P35 million), and other products (P4.1 billion).
BOC last year also filed criminal cases against 345 importers and 75 customs brokers, and revoked the accreditation of 196 importers and customs brokers for various violations of customs rules and regulations.
Its online accreditation program accredited 17,760 importers and 2,241 customs brokers with zero backlog.
Meanwhile, the customs bureau last year issued a total of 147 show-cause orders against customs personnel for non-compliance with existing customs rules and regulations. Of these employees, 152 were administratively charged, 20 dismissed, eight suspended, and 120 had pending decisions with the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman.
The agency also conducted 269 trainings to further improve technical and operational capabilities of BOC personnel, benefitting 5,481 participants. The customs bureau also forged ties with other customs organizations with 80 total meetings/engagements attended locally and internationally.
Last year, BOC hired and promoted 1,016 personnel to fill existing plantilla positions. From a personnel complement of 2,856 in October 2018, BOC now has 3,425 personnel out of the authorized 6,264 plantilla positions.
Various logistical needs were also procured, which included eight information and communications technology projects amounting to P340.42 billion. The IT systems developed through these eight projects are now utilized to automate frontline transactions, along with four other systems that were upgraded.
To enhance its cargo clearance and examination capabilities, BOC acquired a total of 58 x-ray machines during the year, bringing the total number of scanning equipment to 117.
On intelligence and enforcement capabilities, BOC acquired state-of-the-art surveillance equipment and deployed the Cargo Targeting System to improve threat monitoring and detection and risk management.
Its Citizen’s Charter was also revised in accordance with the directive of the Anti-Red Tape Authority and to reflect processes that were streamlined under the ease-of-doing business law.
Nine of the 17 collection districts were audited by the Commission on Audit (COA) last year that resulted in an 82% compliance rate, and the resolution of the 45 Audit Observation Memorandums issued by COA with regards to a 2018 audit report on BOC.
As part of its good governance program, BOC enrolled in the Performance Governance System of the Institute for Solidarity in Asia, passing the initiated stage last November.
BOC last January 10 announced its new 10 priority initiatives for 2020, including full automation of frontline services and enhancement of trade facilitation.
READ: Full automation tops BOC’s 10-point priority list for 2020
Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said the customs bureau “has a lot on its plate for 2020” and that it hopes to accomplish its new set of priorities this year “through the help and cooperation of our stakeholders and partners.”
The 10-point priority program for 2020 continues some of those on the 2019 list, plus new projects. – Roumina Pablo
