The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected P46.470 billion in November, the highest monthly collection in its history, preliminary figures from the bureau’s Financial Service showed.
Higher oil prices and a 7.9% hike in volume of imports compared to the same month last year prompted the increase.
Five collection districts surpassed their monthly targets: Batangas, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Clark and Tacloban, Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said in a statement.
The Port of Batangas took in P13.339 billion, 18% higher than its P11.36-billion target; the Port of Davao, P1.56 billion, 6.6% more than the P1.464-billion goal; Port of Cagayan de Oro, P1.273 billion, 1.1% higher than its P1.259-billion target; Port of Clark, P149 million, 6.6% more than its P140-million goal; and Port of Tacloban, P59 million, 177% greater than its P21-million target.
“We have been achieving historical collection figures since September, but the latest November collection is really a milestone for BOC, being the highest in the monthly collection ever achieved by BOC. This, despite having only 19 working days. I think we could have surpassed our monthly target if November had the usual number of working days,” Lapeña said.
Auction proceeds, a non-traditional source of revenue, also contributed significantly to the collection, he added.
According to data from the bureau’s Port Operations Service, proceeds from auction for November alone topped P62,515,119.12, bringing the total auction proceeds from January to November to P256,830,675.91.
It may be recalled that the BOC, through the sub-port of Iligan, made a successful case settlement with First Nationwide Assurance Company in the amount of P110 million; this formed part of the November revenue.
Before Lapeña assumed office as customs chief in August, the bureau’s daily average collection amounted to only P1.8 billion and the monthly take around P35 billion.
Under Lapeña, the September collection reached P41 billion, and October, P42 billion. Last November 3 and 10, the BOC reached its highest daily collection in the amount of P3.045 billion and P3.839 billion, respectively.
“I am really optimistic that by December, the BOC will finally be able to hit, if not surpass its monthly target. Together with all the ports, we are really hoping that we will achieve this,” Lapeña said.
