BOC: Only 50% of 40 PH gov’t agencies plugged into NSW

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ID-10071141Only half of the 40 government agencies involved in the issuance of import and export licenses, permits, and clearances are connected as planned to the Philippine National Single Window (PNSW), according to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Of the 20 agencies, just 11 are completely connected, while the remaining nine are only partially linked.

Among 20 non-users, seven have stopped using the PNSW; 13 have not been connected at all.

The PNSW is an Internet-based system designed to facilitate trade over Philippine borders by allowing parties to lodge information and documents through a single entry point when fulfilling all their import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements.

The single window scheme is being implemented under Executive Order 482 dated December 27, 2005 to cut the number of processes an importer or exporter has to go through when making a trade transaction.

The PNSW is designed to connect to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Single Window before the regional integration in 2015.

However, Phase 2 of the NSW project, which was originally scheduled to be rolled out this year, was stalled when reforms within the BOC, the agency mainly responsible for the NSW, started late last year.

In a letter dated October 15 to the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines, Customs Commissioner John Phillip Sevilla said BOC is “pushing for the immediate implementation of the PNSW Phase 2, as well as the Integrated Enhanced Customs Processing System (IECPS).”

The IECPS aims to achieve a paperless, fully electronic, and human contact-free processing of Customs transactions, while allowing traders a single entry point for submission of data and information as well as a single decision-making point for customs release and cargo clearance.

“This (IECPS) will involve the addition of non-compliant agencies to the NSW system,” Sevilla pointed out.

The deadline for submission of eligibility documents for selection of system integrator for design, implementation, operation and maintenance of IECPS and NSW was October 28.

Sevilla, in a presentation during last week’s 40th Philippine Business Conference and Expo, admitted that the PNSW was “not working well.”

He assured conference participants that BOC and its partner agencies “will work together to continually advance the status of the PNSW System and to put the Philippines’ stance at par with (those of) our neighbouring ASEAN countries.”

Phase 1 of the PNSW involved installing interconnection between networks, voice-over Internet protocol and email systems among all 40 government agencies, and conducting setup and configuration work on the NSW for nominated agencies.

Phase 2, on the other hand, will harmonize processes and procedures among the 40 government agencies and prepare them for interconnection with the ASEAN Single Window. – Roumina Pablo

Image courtesy of sheelamohan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net