BOC in 1-year surplus spree, overshoots midyear target

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) under Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero has again proved the naysayers wrong as the agency registered a 2-digit percentage surplus in June resulting to overshooting its midyear collection by over P10 billion.

Atty. Vincent ‘Jett’ Maronilla, BOC spokersperson, quoting from official data from the Financial Management Service bared that for the month of June, they actually collected P52.447 billion, up by P5.272 billion from their assigned target of P47.175 billion equivalent to 11.2 percent positive variance.

For its midyear target of P291.833 billion, the BOC, Maronilla added, actually collected P302.744, from its assigned target of P291.833 billion or a surplus of P10.911 billion for a positive variance of 3.7 percent.

Year-on-year, the collection is more impressive as the agency registered a positive variance of nearly 20 percent (19.6 percent), after it collected a surplus of P49.653 billion from its actual collection of P253.091 billion last year.

Notably, the BOC, since June 2020, has been on a surplus roll under the watchful eyes of Guerrero; it has not also suffered a deficit since the start of this year that again put to shame the naysayers who, late last year, expressed doubt whether the agency can hit its assigned annual target of more than P617 billion for 2021.

Boosting the BOC collection for June are the additional collection from the Tax Expenditure Fund (TEF) and the additional collection from the Post Entry Clearance Group (PCAG), which is under Maronilla.

Since January, the PCAG has contributed P542.298 million to the coffers of the BOC thru its diligent audit of released shipments.

Maronilla said the collection was from the 152 Audit Notice Letters (ANL) issued by his office.

The official also expressed confidence that PCAG would also be able to collect more than P7 billion resulting from their audit of released shipments in the past two years.

“There are 15 demand letters amounting to more than P7.625 billion which have become final and executory for failure of the audited importers to contest the same.

“These will be referred to the BOC Legal Service for filing of the necessary collection suit,” Maronilla said.

P2 billion fake items destroyed

Meanwhile, last July 3, 2021, officials from the Port of Manila headed by Atty. Liza Sebastian, deputy collector for operations, destroyed more than P2 billion worth of fake consumer goods at a rendering facility in Meycauyan, Bulacan. The bogus products were destroyed through crushing and shredding.

The confiscation of the fake items from various warehouses in the National Capital Region was led by the Intelligence Group (IG) under deputy commissioner, Raniel Ramiro, whose men have already confiscated more than P4 billion worth of fake items since the start of the year.

The biggest raid thus far against sellers and distributors of fake items was conducted by the IG only last June 3, 2021, targeting several warehouses in Baclaran, Parañaque City, where more than P2 billion worth of fake consumer products were confiscated.

Among the fake brands destroyed in Bulacan include, Nike, Vans, Adidas, Jordan, Hello Kitty, New Balance, Victoria’s Secret, Lacoste, NBA, Gucci, Tribal, Fila, Supreme, Puma, Mickey Mouse, Wrangler, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Nivea, Cool Water, Clinique, Jergens, Glutamax, JBL, Dove and Dior.

Also witnessing the destruction are POM Auction and Cargo Disposal Division Chief (ACDD) Atty Enrico Turingan III, Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) Chief Dominic Garcia, members of the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS/Customs Police) and representatives from the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR).