Recto okays major BOC ‘shake-up’

New Palace appointees get key positions; Intel Group mostly affected

On Mar 15, 2024

Department of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, posing with his 'BOC Family' during the latter's 122nd anniversary, February 13, 2024. Some of those present at the event were affected by the reshuffle of key agency positions that Recto approved on the recommendation of Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio (standing beside the finance chief). Photo credit to BOC-PIAD.

DEPARTMENT of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, who breezed his way during his confirmation hearing last March 13, 2024, has given the greenlight for a massive shake-up of personnel at the Bureau of Customs (BOC), with many of those affected coming from the Intelligence Group.

Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio got the backing of Recto in initiating the much-awaited agency reshuffle in view of the necessity to also give positions to new Palace appointees while also further improving agency performance and efficiency.

As a result, Collector VI Ronnie Principe, who has been languishing at Rubio’s office since his appointment last year, has been designated as the new head of the BOC X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP) vice fellow Collector VI Carmelita ‘Mimel’ Talusan who would be the new district collector at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

Erstwhile MICP district collector, Romeo Allan Rosales is the new district collector at the Port of Cebu while the incumbent, Collector Ricardo Morales II, is the new district collector at the Port of Subic.

Meanwhile, Subic district collector Ciriaco DG Ugay has been transferred to the Port of Iloilo.

Newly-appointed Collector VI Rizalino Torralba has been designated as the new district collector at the Port of Manila. Torralba got the promotion after Malacañan declined to renew the appointment of Collector Alexandra Lumontad. His appointment was announced by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) last March 13, 2024, along with the appointment of Sharon P. Almanza as Treasurer of the Philippines.

Torralba is already familiar with the port’s operations, having previously served as POM’s acting district collector. He replaced Collector Susan Tangal who has been moved to the Port of Cagayan de Oro.

At the Intelligence Group (IG) headed by bemedalled former Army general, Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy, over 30 positions have been reshuffled, affecting personnel at its main office in Manila down to several field offices from Luzon to Mindanao.

Of them, the most prominent is Intelligence Officer V Richard S. Rebong, who has been moved from Chief of the Intelligence Division, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (IG-CIIS), to chief, Baggage Assistance Division, NAIA, in place of IO V Robert A. Quintana.

Quintana has been designated as the new chief of the Auction and Cargo Disposal Division (ACDD), NAIA.

Its former occupant, Collector II Sergio Alvarado IV, has been transferred to the Post Clearance Audit Group (PCAG).