THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) under Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, chalked another milestone in its checkered history after successfully completing the 4-stage ‘Performance Governance System’ (PGS) that seeks to institutionalize the many reforms and programs necessary to turn the BOC into a genuine ‘world-class’ customs agency with its processes and systems at par with the best in the world.
The achievement, however did not come quick as it took the agency some two and a half year since its enrollment was accepted by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) in November 2019, the first full year of Guerrero’s term as customs commissioner.
Since its enrolment, and after sequential revalidas (reviews), the BOC also consistently bagged the PGS’ highest award or the ‘Gold Governance Trailblazer Award’ as it passed the 1st Stage (Initiation Stage), the 2nd Stage (Compliance Stage), the 3rd Stage (Proficiency Stage) and finally, the 4th Stage (Institutionalization Stage) of the PGS.
The BOC hurdled the final stage last April 20, 2022.
The PGS is a significant tool of good governance reform promoting the efficient delivery of services and the establishment of a positive climate for market institutions.
“The passing of the Bureau of Customs in the last and final stage of the PGS pathway is not the end goal of our journey of transformation, but merely a means to the real goal, which is the realization of our vision of becoming a modernized and credible customs administration that is among the world’s best” — Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero.
It also calls for effective, sustained, and systematic contributions from individuals and institutions for the common good of their institution or community and of the Philippines as well as the long-term development of the Filipino.
During the Institutionalization Revalida organized by the ISA, Commissioner Guerrero shared the Bureau’s Transformation Journey throughout the years – building a new foundation of trust and awareness for its stakeholders and the general public through reformed efforts, towards creating a transparent, responsive and world-class customs administration.
Guerrero also presented the scorecards of the BOC which have proven the breakthrough financial results and high social impact of the programs implemented and accomplishments achieved, as well as its plans to ensure the sustainability and continuity of the transformed and reformed programs and systems.
All these programs are anchored on its primary mandates on border protection, revenue collection and trade facilitation, as well as the modernization of its processes and values reformation of agency officials and personnel.
These include automation of 82 percent or 139 out of the 170 Customs Processes from only 38 percent in 2019;
The implementation of trade facilitation measures and improvement in its performance as reflected in the World Customs Organization (WCO) Implementation Maturity Assessment of 85.08 percent rating;
Accomplishments in seizure of P63.5B worth of various smuggled goods, P7.2B illegal drugs, and 1.9B agricultural products;
The implementation of fuel marking program (FMP) which contributed P374.13B revenue from duties and taxes collected, among others.
The Institutionalization Status was granted after the successful audit review of the bureau’s performance for at least two years of implementing its PGS strategy and Institutionalization Revalida.
“After careful deliberation, the panel has decided that the Bureau of Customs, which aims to elevate the bureau into a transparent, responsive, and world-class customs administration by 2022, shall be conferred the PGS Institutionalized status.
“With this, they shall also be recognized as an Island of Good Governance or IGG.
“We are also pleased to announced that the Bureau of Customs is a Gold Governance Trailblazer Awardee.
“Congratulations to the Bureau of Customs,” said Guillermo Luz, Panel Chair & ISA Trustee.
The BOC was commended by the Revalida panelists for the overall Revalida performance. Aside from Luz, other members of the panel include: Asec. Greg Pineda, Assistant Secretary of Regional Development Group-NEDA, Asec. Mary Jean Pacheco, Assistant Secretary of DTI, Kenneth Isaiah Abante, Managing Director for Practice and Partnerships of WeSolve Foundation, Inc. and Eduardo Anthony G. Mariño, Deputy Treasurer of Bureau of Treasury.
“It has been a long journey, but the journey is not yet over. In fact, it’s far from over.
“The passing of the Bureau of Customs in the last and final stage of the PGS pathway is not the end goal of our journey of transformation, but merely a means to the real goal, which is the realization of our vision of becoming a modernized and credible customs administration that is among the world’s best,” Guerrero said.