BOC undergoes major reshuffle of collection districts

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC), with the approval of the Department of Finance, has initiated a reshuffle of its major collection districts including the heads of its critical frontline and administrative units.

Under Customs Personnel Order (CPO) B-64-2023 approved by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno last May 11, 2023, Carmelita Talusan, the long-serving district collector at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is to assume the post as the district collector at the Port of Subic, replacing Collector Maritess Martin.

Martin, in turn, has been designated as the new district collector at the Port of Manila (POM), her previous post.

Assuming the top customs post at the NAIA is Maria Yasmin Obillos-Mapa, the erstwhile acting director, Legal Service, Revenue Collection and Monitoring Group (RCMG) and concurrent chief of staff to Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio. Mapa would be replaced by Director William Belayo, erstwhile Port of Limay district collector, as head of the Legal Service.

Michael Angelo DC Vargas, the erstwhile POM district collector has been moved as the new deputy collector for administration at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

Vargas would be replacing Marlon Agaceta who has been ‘promoted’ as the new Chief of Staff of Comm. Rubio.

Romeo Allan Rosales, on the other hand, would be returning to his post as MICP district collector after languishing for several months being assigned at the Office of the Customs Commissioner (OCCOM).

Rosales replaces Collector Arnold Famor whose impending retirement from the service reportedly triggered the major reshuffle of the BOC’s various collection districts. Famor has been transferred for the time being as head of the Pair Cargo Warehouse at the NAIA.

Norsalem Raymond Mama-o, Paircargo Warehouse Officer-in-Charge of Assessment Unit, is the new NAIA deputy collector for passenger services.

Mama-o would be replacing Atty. Lourdes Mangaoang who has been reconfirmed as head of the X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP).

Also transferred to the NAIA as chief of the Express Cargo Clearance Facility (ECCF) is Ma. Fe Recinto, the erstwhile subport collector at the PEZA Laguna Customs Office. Recinto would be replacing Gil Calixihan who has been reassigned at the Office of the Deputy Collector for Operations, NAIA.

Port of Cebu district collector Elvira Cruz is the new district collector at the Port of Clark while Clark’s erstwhile district collector, John Simon, has been moved as the acting director at the Administration Office, Internal Administration Group (IAG).

Cruz would be replaced by Ciriaco Ugay, the erstwhile district collector at the Port of Iloilo.

Collector Erastus Sandino ‘Dino’ Austria, also a long-time serving district collector at the Port of Davao and former BOC spokesperson, is the new district collector at the Port of Cagayan de Oro, replacing Collector Alexandra Lumontad, who has been transferred to replace Belayo at the Port of Limay.

Collector Guillermo Pedro ‘Jay’ Francia, who also has been languishing at the OCCOM, is the new Davao port district collector.

Atty. Marietta Zamoranos, collector at the sub-port of the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT), would be joining Talusan at the Port of Subic as deputy collector for assessment.

Samoranos would be replaced by Tomas Tagra, the acting sub-port collector at Salomague, Port of San Fernando, La Union.

On the other hand, Maita Acevedo, acting deputy collector for assessment at the Port of Subic has been reassigned to the office of Martin at the POM.