THE Bureau of Customs on Tuesday celebrated its 119TH anniversary, confident that it can meet its assigned target of P617 billion this year thru the continuing implementation of its ’10-Point Priority Programs’ that have gained the fulsome praise of its guest of honor and speaker, Department of Finance (DOF) secretary, Carlos Dominguez.
In a media briefing, Atty. Vincent Maronilla, bureau spokesman and assistant commissioner for post clearance audit (PCAG), said that under the leadership of Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, they are “confident” of meeting the new revenue challenge given to them by the country’s finance managers, despite an increase of some P111 billion or 82 percent from last year’s adjusted target of P506.2 billion.
In 2020, Maronilla noted that starting in June, the BOC has been overshooting its monthly assigned target in the following 8 months or until last January, when they came out with a surplus collection of more than P3 billion.
Last year, the BOC actually collected P539 billion or a positive deviation of 6.6 percent, equivalent to more than P33.5 billion; last month, the BOC actually collected P47.143 billion compared to its target of PP44.092 billion.
Remarking on this and other accomplishments, Dominguez, in his 10-minute speech, commended the agency for a “job very well done the past year.”
The finance secretary also commended Guerrero’s priority programs that helped the government “minimize (revenue) losses” by achieving a “more efficient customs administration.”
Dominguez further noted that despite the pandemic that “disrupted” the country’s “growth momentum,” the BOC has “stepped up to the plate” and continued with the modernization program prepared by Guerrero.
With the BOC programs in place, Dominguez also expressed confidence the agency is “ready to facilitate the continuous and unhampered delivery” of the vaccines against COVID-19, the first batch of which is expected to arrive “later this week or the next week,” according to Maronilla.
On the part of PCAG, Maronilla said that adding to their confidence in achieving this year’s target is the expected collection of some P19 billion from companies and importers covered by the bureau’s post clearance audit program.
“The Post Clearance Audit Group is optimistic that additional revenues may still be collected from post clearance for the remaining months of 2021,” Maronilla said.
He noted that there are still “24 demand letters” the PCAG had sent out with an expected revenue of P12 billion.
Of these, 18 are undergoing motion for reinvestigation/reconsideration amounting to P5 billion, while 8 others have been forwarded to the Legal Service for filing of collection suit amounting to P6.9 billion.