The Bureau of Customs surpassed its revenue target of P124.738 billion in the first two months by collecting P133.380 billion on improved collection efficiency, a top official said Friday.
The agency said that in February, it also exceeded the P61.827-billion target by raising P63.015 billion from import duties. This was also higher than P59.433 billion registered in the same month last year.
“We will continue to innovate and implement sustainable reforms to boost the bureau’s collection efficiency, which will contribute to the expansion and recovery of our national economy,” Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said in a statement.
“For this to be possible, we will also prioritize fostering a healthier trade environment through enhanced and modernized mechanisms for efficient trade facilitation and improved Customs operations for all our stakeholders,” he said.
Collections by the BOC climbed to P862.4 billion (net of P4.8 billion tax refund) in 2022, outperforming the P643.6 billion raised in 2021 by 34.01 percent or P218.9 billion. The figure was also 19.53 percent or P140.9 billion above the P721.5 billion 2022 target.
The agency said the robust revenue performance was supported by efforts to ensure the recovery of deficient duties and taxes, improve tax compliance, tariffs on rice imports and public auctions of overstaying cargo.
It said the December 2022 revenue of P73.2 billion was also up by 21.40 percent or P12.9 billion from a year earlier.
Aligned with the overarching directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Rubio leads the Customs in boosting revenue collection, enhancing trade facilitation and strengthening border protection while upholding good governance and curbing corruption.
Meanwhile, the Customs’ Port of Subic foiled over 30,000 sacks of misdeclared refined sugar worth P150 million on March 2 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales province.
District collector Maritess Martin issued pre-lodgement control orders and alert orders following derogatory information from the Department of Agriculture about the subject shipments.
Acting on the report received, Rubio, with Port of Subic District collector Martin, Agriculture assistant secretary James Layug and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator Rolen Paulino led the examination of 58 containers which yielded more than 30,000 sacks of misdeclared refined sugar with an estimated value of P150 million.
The BOC said it would issue a warrant of seizure and detention against the subject containers for violation of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and Sugar Regulatory Authority and BOC Joint Memorandum Order No. 04-2002.
The Customs also examined two containers of squid rings where they found several misdeclared assorted frozen meat products valued for P40 million.
“The BOC continues to maximize its intelligence resources and intensify enforcement measures to thwart all attempts of smuggling, especially those involving agricultural products that negatively impact our local farmers and businesses,” Rubio said.