THE prompt disposal of overstaying containers thru various modes provided for under customs laws enabled the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to raise more than P138.7 million in additional duties and taxes for the first quarter of the year.
Deputy commissioner for assessment and operations coordination group (AOCG) Edward James Dy Buco, in a progress report to Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, said the amount came from the disposal of ‘overstaying’ containers in the country’s various ports thru the efforts of the Auction and Cargo Disposal Division (ACDD), which is under the AOCG.
Under Sections 1139 and 1141 of RA 10863, otherwise known as the ‘Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) of 2016,’ overstaying containers can be declared abandoned or forfeited in favor of the government. They can either be disposed of thru public auction, condemnation or donation.
CAO 17-2019, provides that cargoes which were not withdrawn within the regulatory period of 30 calendar days from payment of duties, taxes, and other charges shall be deemed abandoned and subject forfeiture proceeding unless covered by a duly issued alert order.
Upon the finality of the ‘decree of abandonment,’ the bureau shall then determine the proper mode disposition.
In total, Dy Buco said his office disposed 586 containers, of which the contents of 354 containers, mostly rice and galvanized steel, were auctioned off that resulted to the collection of P138.7 million additional revenues for the agency.
On the other hand, the contents of 232 containers were disposed thru condemnation.
Twice this year, the bureau had also contributed to the Department of Education’s ‘distant learning program’ by donating thousands of confiscated electronic gadgets.
Aside from generating additional revenue for the government, disposal of abandoned containers also contributes to the bureau’s trade facilitation mandate by eliminating port and yard congestion, thereby ensuring the smooth flow of business in the country’s various ports.
For the first quarter of the year, Guerrero announced that on a ‘year-on-year basis,’ the bureau had posted a positive deviation of P10.5 percent or a surplus of more than P14 billion, after collecting P148 billion against its target of P134 billion for the same period last year.
Similarly, Guerrero noted that the first quarter revenue take is also P1.9 percent higher or P2.7 billion more, compared to the P145.3 billion collection for the period January to March 2020.
The BOC also again posted surplus collection for the month of March, according to the report of the bureau’s Financial Management Service to Guerrero.
Official data showed the BOC surpassed its assigned monthly collection target by 14.2 percent, equivalent to P6.8 billion.
Actual cash collection for March reached P54.5 billion, against the assigned target of P47.7 billion.
Year-on-year, Guerrero noted the figure is also 22.1 percent higher, equivalent to P9.8 billion, compared to its actual cash collection of P44.6 billion for the same month last year.