The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will implement a semi-manual process to effect release of shipments while it works to normalize operations of its electronic-to-mobile (e2m) system.
Guidelines on the semi-manual process is expected to be released today (April 8).
BOC assistant commissioner and spokesperson Atty. Vincent Philip Maronilla, in a live update on April 8, said the semi-manual process is BOC’s alternative solution so stakeholders can still process shipments while the e2m system, which is notorious for its slowdowns, is being restored to normal operations.
Under the system, lodgement and assessment will still be conducted electronically; after evaluation of documents, assessors will issue an order of payment to LandBank of the Philippines. An e-ticket will then be sent to the stakeholder so he/she can proceed and pay LandBank. The bank will then send feedback to BOC after payment. The customs bureau will send the order of payment and clearance to the port operator for shipment release.
With the move to the semi-manual process, Maronilla is requesting LandBank to open its branches for at least two days, particularly branches that can serve stakeholders of Manila International Container Port and Port of Manila, to help in processing all the backlog and affected shipments due to the e2m problem.
Maronilla added BOC is also looking at other contingency measures, but noted that the proposed semi-manual system is the easiest, even if not the most convenient, given the current situation.
He said he hopes e2m operations will be back to normal by April 11.
BOC Management Information System and Technology Group (MISTG) technical expert Jonathan Soriano, during the same live update, explained that the e2m system encountered technical difficulties on April 4 which led to the use of the system’s back-up server.
However, the back-up server is configured differently from the main server, leading to performance issues and erratic processing. With this, Soriano said BOC decided on April 7 to shut down the e2m system. MISTG, together with partner service provider Oracle and system developer Webb Fontaine, is currently working to restore e2m’s operations and return to the use of the primary server.
READ: Stakeholders asked to relodge Apr 6 entries due to e2m glitch
In a related development, MISTG deputy commissioner Allan Geronimo in a memorandum on April 7 has asked stakeholders to cancel their entries affected by the e2m glitch on April 6 and re-lodge them. – Roumina Pablo
