BOC Reforms Aided in Collection Performance and Curbed Agri Smuggling

Under the term of Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrerro, changes were made to not only enhance tax collection but also aided former President Duterte’s administration’s plan of halting the smuggling of agricultural goods. 

The changes brought about to the BOC account for automating 82% of the 170 processes. The exclusion of human interaction lessens the chances of corruption. 

Commissioner Guerrero made reference to the achievements of Customs under his leadership while dismissing accusations of being an accomplice to the smuggling of agricultural goods. 

He goes on to say that “The Senate Committee report citing me as one of the government officials involved in agricultural smuggling also contains the numerous accomplishments of BOC in its campaign against agricultural smuggling, and the adoption of the executive recommendations, which I directed,”

“We also established the Customs Operations Center (COC) which serves as a fusion center to integrate and analyze intelligence, enforcement, and operational information gathered from various sources. The COC proves to be effective in guarding the borders by the immediate processing of all information and ultimately deterring any possible violation,” Commissioner Guerrero said. 

Since his posting in BOC, more funding was given to enforcement assets by obtaining 60 advanced mobile x-ray machines,  200 body cameras, 20 units of fast patrol vessels, 100 rifles, and 16 trade detection systems. 

In addition to the new equipment, 199 enforcement personnel have been hired and 40 staff have received promotions beginning the year 2018. 

Commissioner Guerrero mentions that “With these measures in place, we were able to seize a total of PHP2.5 billion worth of smuggled agricultural products in various ports nationwide from 2016 to May 2022, while a total of 111 criminal cases have been filed before the Department of Justice against unscrupulous stakeholders. Moreover, 84 importers and customs brokers involved in agricultural smuggling were revoked of their accreditation since 2019,”

Source: Philippine News Agency