A new batch of officials recently joined the Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC).
At the agency’s flag-raising ceremony on January 22, Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña led the oath-taking of 31 newly hired personnel. Of the 31, seven are lawyers who have been assigned to different offices, while 24 are customs operations officers I (COO I) assigned to the BOC-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Lapeña said 19 of the 24 newly hired NAIA operations officers were former contractual employees, while the rest were the top five individuals in the evaluation of the previous and new Customs Personnel Selection Board (CPSB).
BOC’s newly hired lawyers are Melvin Joseph Banzon (Appellate Division, Revenue Collection and Monitoring Group), Ruther Martinez (Prosecution and Litigation Division (PLD), RCMG), Paul Romeo Polloso PLD, RCMG), Melvin Tan, Jr. (PLD, RCMG), Vincent James Fajardo (Port of Manila), David Jason Imbang (Port of Batangas), and Vicente Andrew Espina (Port of Cebu).
NAIA’s new COO I personnel are Daryll Degracia, Marco Tactacan, Athena Angeline Lajom, Edward Carlo Velasco, Katrina Lañeses, Jason Paul Pagala, April Angeli Aboloc, Michellin Lobos, Noli Verne Jan Quiambao, Ariane Krisette Andaya, Cedric Atienza, Jovannie Prado, Sheila May Asis, Armie Jane Pedrad, Jireh Marielle Bautista, Jayson Toquero, Maedin Keith Palacio, Ritzton Ryan Mamisay, Renzzo Mari Baliao, Angela Coleen Talactac, Jenel Janolino, Sybil Charmaine Bacyan, Angela Hannah Simon, and Anna Mae Flores.
The BOC chief said contractual employees will remain the priority in filling entry-level posts at BOC, while those serving the bureau for years will be considered first for promotion before hiring new personnel. The candidates, however, must be qualified for the position and pass the selection process of CPSB, Lapeña noted.
“Being the appointing authority, I will give priority to our contractual employees. We will first promote and hire those people who have long been working with the BOC,” he said.
He also asked new employees to provide “the service the public is expecting from you, finish all the tasks to improve our process time.”
Aside from the 31 new hires, CPSB on January 18 and 19 finished interviewing personnel for promotion to more than 400 vacant positions in various offices and districts. Since last year, BOC has been fast-tracking the promotion of its personnel.
Lapeña said he has also ordered the immediate hiring of additional personnel for entry- level posts and the Enforcement and Security Service as a solution to the “persistent problem” of lack of personnel leading to some doing two or three jobs simultaneously. He said he has been hearing about this problem during his visits to various BOC ports.
In September last year, Lapeña said delays due to the shortage of employees can result in corruption. He said that even if a BOC employee does not ask for money, stakeholders wanting to fast-track the release of shipment may attempt to bribe the staff.
Aside from hiring and promotions, Lapeña is also reshuffling personnel in different offices as part of his anti-corruption drive. – Text and photo by Roumina Pablo
