BUREAU of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, continues to be recognized as among Asia’s most influential leaders in the field of customs administration after being feted for the third time, this time by the Asia’s Golden Icon Leader Award.
Formal awarding and recognition was held last February 28 was held in Manila personally attended by the customs chief, together with his Chief of Staff, Coll. Marlon Agaceta and Deputy Commissioner for Revenue Collection and Monitoring (RCMG) Clarence Dizon.
The Asia’s Golden Icon Leader Award celebrates outstanding leaders for their excellence, vision, and impact, highlighting individuals who inspire change and shape the future.
The award organizers noted that Comm. Rubio’s leadership of the agency has been instrumental in driving customs reforms, enhancing trade processes, and bolstering border security in the Philippines.
In his acceptance speech, Comm. Rubio dedicated the award to the BOC’s hardworking men and women.
“I am very much honored to receive this award not just for me but for the men and women of the Bureau of Customs. It is a testament to the hard work and the contributions of the Bureau of Customs to our country,” he said.
It would be the third recognition of Rubio, who started his career at the bottom of the BOC hierarchy as Special Agent 1 (SA1) in 2001, in a space of 3 months and his second in the month of February.
Last November 19, 2024, Rubio was cited by the Gawad Pilipino Foundation as ‘Outstanding Public Servant’ and was recognized as among the ‘Top 50 Most Influential People in the Philippines,’ last February 10 by TopNews Asia, all for his exemplary leadership of the BOC (see also Pinoy Exposé, February 12, 2025).
Rubio inspires WCO event
A week earlier, Comm. Rubio also inspired the international delegates to the 5-days ‘Accelerate Trade and Facilitation Programme’ of the World Customs Organization (WCO) held in Manila with the support of the His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the customs and tax agency of the United Kingdom and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The event, from February 17 to February 21, focused on sharing best practices, aligning the Philippines’ AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) framework with international standards, and enhancing trade facilitation measures to ensure secured and efficient global supply chains.
In his opening remarks, Comm. Rubio highlighted the BOC’s unwavering commitment to strengthening trade facilitation and regulatory compliance, saying,
“I wish to emphasize that enhancing stakeholder compliance through our AEO Program is expressed under our 5-Point Priority Program.
“This (event) supports this priority as it will help evaluate our AEO Program and develop the skills of our AEO Officers, thereby improving our services to the public.”
“The presence of our experts here, who traveled halfway around the world, highlights our shared vision of strengthening customs-to-business partnerships and enhancing global trade efficiency,” the customs chief added.
Other key BOC officials who joined Rubio include Deputy Commissioner for the Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group, Atty. Vener Baquiran; BOC-Ninoy Aquino International Airport District Collector Atty. Yasmin O. Mapa; Export Coordination Chief and AEO Interim Office Head, Atty. Jenny P. Diokno; and, Coll. Rechilda Oquias, Head of the External Affairs Office.
Deputy Commissioner Baquiran, during his speech, stressed the significance of strengthening and expanding the AEO Program, saying,
“As we undertake to proactively promote the AEO Program, this Mission could not have come at a better time. To our AEO experts, the knowledge you will impart will certainly aid us in our objective to refine the Philippine AEO Program and its accreditation criteria levels as we extend our AEO program benefits to our stakeholders.”
The mission featured key discussions led by WCO experts Ms. Pelisa Matyumza, Ms. Trudy Rutland, and Ms. Nozomi Ijima, along with Mr. Shigeaki Katsu from JICA.
Sessions explored the AEO Program’s strategic intent, global frameworks, supply chain security, risk management, and expansion strategies to include a wider range of stakeholders.
The event also provided an opportunity to review and enhance of the BOC’s AEO Manual, integrating global best practice recommendations.