Imports of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical emergency supplies are now subject to payment of duties and taxes following the expiration of Republic Act 11469, also known as Bayanihan to Heal as One (BHAO) Act, on June 24.
In a June 27 advisory, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Customs Administrative Order (CAO) 07-2020 expired on June 24, the same day RA 11469 expired.
CAO 07-2020 provided guidelines for granting tax and duty exemption on imported medical supplies and equipment needed to address the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Philippines.
READ: Medical supplies, equipment get import duty, tax exemption
The grant of exemption covered imports that arrived and were cleared by BOC for three months from the effectivity of RA 11469, unless extended by Congress.
CAO 07-2020 operationalized Section 4(o) of RA 11469, which granted President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers for a limited time to address the emergency health crisis, and exempt imports of medical equipment or supply from duties and taxes.
A BHAO Act 2 bill extending the emergency measures is pending approval in Congress.
