-
The Bureau of Customs, in cooperation with the Korea International Cooperation Agency, renewed its commitment to re-establish the Philippines Customs Laboratory
-
BOC said PCL will serve as an effective deterrent against technical smuggling through the use of scientific and technical expertise, advanced technology, and intelligence-driven strategies
-
BOC noted challenges in re-establishing the PCL, including the lack of facilities and obsolete laboratory equipment
The Philippines Customs Laboratory (PCL) will be revived, with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) renewing its commitment to re-establish the facility.
The commitment, which will be done in cooperation with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), was made during the recent five-day program on Capacity Building on Customs Laboratory Processes jointly organized by KOICA, the Korea International Cooperation Services, Korea Central Customs Laboratory (KCCL), and Korea Customs Service under the International Cooperation Program of the Government of Korea.
“The re-establishment of the Philippines Customs Laboratory is an opportunity to further enhance border security efforts, increase revenue collection, and foster international cooperation in customs practices. This partnership with KOICA will contribute significantly to our vision of a modernized and credible Customs administration,” Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said in a statement.
BOC noted there were challenges encountered in re-establishing the PCL, including the lack of facilities and obsolete laboratory equipment. Despite these, BOC said it remains steadfast in its commitment to the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO-TFA) regarding the re-establishment of the PCL.
During the program, BOC said it acknowledged the essential role of PCL in the proper and accurate chemical analysis of products. This analysis helps determine the correct tariff classification and imposable duties on imports, ideal for enhancing the collection performance of BOC.
BOC said PCL will serve as an effective deterrent against technical smuggling through the use of scientific and technical expertise, advanced technology, and intelligence-driven strategies, thus, will safeguard national security, protect revenue, and ensure public safety. Additionally, it will enhance border security efforts and promote international collaboration, information sharing, and best practices.
Resource experts from the KCCL provided intensive technical training on the operation of a customs laboratory and equipment, including information sharing on best practices. BOC said this support aligns with the BOC’s pursuit of establishing a PCL and realizing its vision of becoming a modern and credible Customs administration that ranks among the world’s best.
RELATED READ: How PH Customs Should Modernize
As of this writing, BOC has yet to respond to media queries on when or why PCL stopped operations. A memo dated February 20, 2017 signed by then Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, however, said the PCL “is in the restoration process of its functions” and that it was functioning with limited capacity.
Aside from KOICA, BOC previously requested technical assistance from Indonesia and also discussed capacity building practices on chemical analysis with the Japan Customs in line with the re-establishment of the PCL.
