BOC passes COA scrutiny with highest mark 2 years in a row

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) was again given an “unmodified opinion” from the Commission on Audit (COA) after an audit of the agency’s 2023 financial statement that demonstrated its unwavering commitment to financial transparency and accountability under the leadership of Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.

An unmodified opinion, the highest audit evaluation granted by the COA, signifies that the financial statements are prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs). The BOC also received the same high mark from the COA in 2022.

“The consecutive recognitions by the COA not only highlight the BOC’s consistent performance but also set a commendable benchmark for other government agencies.

“It reflects the agency’s proactive measures in strengthening its financial systems, enhancing internal controls, and promoting a culture of transparency and accountability,” said BOC spokesperson, Atty. Vincent ‘Jett’ Maronilla.

Commissioner Rubio, in a brief statement, also expressed his gratitude to the BOC-COA Auditors, recognizing their indispensable role in these achievements.

“The BOC-COA Auditors have consistently been our partners in driving meaningful change. Their guidance and reminders have reinforced our responsibilities as public servants, emphasizing that we are accountable for public funds and resources,” the customs chief said.

At the Senate, at the start of the 2025 budget deliberation by the Senate Finance Committee this week, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III, also praised the tax agencies under the Department of Finance (DOF) for their contribution in the hefty increase of the government’s tax collection.

Pimentel recognized the BOC, along with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Department of Finance’s (DOF) Corporate Affairs Group, for their contributions to the 5 percent increase in government revenues in the first half of 2024.

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto informed his former colleagues in the chamber that government collections for the first semester of the year reached P2.15 trillion, marking a 15 percent growth from the P1.9 trillion collected during the same period in 2023.

When Pimentel inquired which agencies should be credited for the achievement, Recto promptly acknowledged the efforts of the BOC, BIR, and DOF’s Corporate Affairs Group.

The BOC alone contributed P455.518 billion to the national revenue from collections between January and June 2024.