Subic-BOC Tops Target By P141M

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) based here led all eight of the country’s ports in posting a surplus in collection of more than P141 million. It collected P683.79 million – way above its target of P562 million for August.

BOC-Subic’s District Collector Carmelita Talusan said the surplus in the target collection is a great start for the Port of Subic since it shows that the Customs officials and workers here are on the right track.

Other ports that surpassed their collection targets for August of this year are the Port of Iloilo that exceeded its target by P17 million; the Port of Cebu that exceeded by P1.5 million; the Port of Surigao, P78 million; the Port of Cagayan de Oro with a P400,000 surplus; the Port of Davao, P28 million; the Clark Freeport, P24 million; and the Port of Aparri, P400,000 in excess of its target.

Talusan said it is in their mandate to ensure proper collection in all areas that the BOC holds.

She added that their outstanding performance helped the Bureau in collecting a total of P22.307 billion in August, higher than last year’s P22.152 billion collected.

Last month’s collection on the other hand was P6 billion lower than the P28-billion target collection. This was due to the top tier districts who failed to meet their targets.

“Despite the holidays and fewer working days that affected our collection, we are still adamant in doing our duties to the utmost of our abilities. We want to show everybody that the Bureau of Customs, especially here in Subic, is working to make sure that professionalism is instilled in every customs official in Subic,” Talusan said.

Last month’s collection has brought the BOC’s eight-month take to P190.04 billion, around 10.5 percent higher than last year’s.

BOC Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said the agency needs to collect some P347 billion this year, a daunting task for the BOC.

But Biazon has not yet asked the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) to lower the target collection this year with next year’s target pegged even higher at P397 billion.

He said that he will step up the agency’s fight against smuggling by using the Run After The Smugglers (RATS) program of the BOC. The agency’s program is still keen on filing cases against smugglers as well as agency personnel and brokers scheming with them. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)