THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said it remains on track to meet its P1.011-trillion collection target this year despite disruptions caused by customs brokers’ protests in early October.
“So far medyo na-challenge kami dahil sa welga, ’yong welga kasi nila hindi lang siya pisikal na welga, may digital protest din sila (We have faced challenges due to the strike, which was not just physical but also digital),” BoC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said on the sidelines of the Kapihan sa Manila Bay on Wednesday.
He described the impact of the protest as temporary.
On Oct. 5, the Practicing Customs Brokers Association Philippines, Inc. (PCBAPI) urged licensed customs brokers and importers to voluntarily stop visiting the BoC’s import processing website to protest the buildup of empty containers and depot congestion.
In response, the BoC said it is in constant discussions with the protest leaders.
It also noted that any disruption to port operations may “further aggravate existing challenges, affecting cargo movement, supply chains, and the broader trading community.”
On Oct. 7, PCBAPI Chairman Reynaldo T. Soliman announced that the group would suspend its “digital protest and rest day at the port” starting Oct. 8 following improvements in port conditions, but continued to urge foreign shipping lines to remove their empty containers.
Between Oct. 1 and 9, the BoC collected P27.217 billion, falling short of the P31.191-billion target for the period by 12.7%.
Average daily collections of P3.888 billion were equivalent to only 87% of the P4.456-billion daily target. Total collections for the period represented 28% of the P98.028-billion target for the month.
In the year to date ending Oct. 9, the BoC collected P784.624 billion, representing 78% of its P1.011-trillion target for the year.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nepomuceno said he expects the second round of excise tax suspensions on kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas to negatively impact collections.
“Collections will be reduced,” he said, noting that the first round of suspensions resulted in monthly foregone revenue of around P700 million.
To offset the suspension’s impact on collections, he said the BoC will continue enforcing a strict assessment regime.
He also said collections typically peak in October and November due to high volumes, but noted that cargo volumes remain weak this year.
Inflation stood at 7.2% in September, accelerating from 6.1% in August and ending four straight months of easing. September inflation brought the nine-month average to 5.4%.
Meanwhile, the BoC said Congress promised it an additional P10 billion after its proposed budget for 2027 was reduced to just P5.9 billion from the roughly P29 billion it originally requested under the 2027 National Expenditure Program.
The additional funding will support the BoC’s modernization projects, including the maintenance of existing X-ray machines, the acquisition of information technology systems, sensors for radioactive shipments, and three vessels to combat smuggling in Philippine waters, he said.
Mr. Nepomuceno also called for amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act to include the BoC in the council, saying the agency cannot directly charge alleged smugglers because it is not a member.
The BoC is also pursuing a public-private partnership to build the Customs Processing System.
According to Mr. Nepomuceno, the project is set to be piloted in three of the 59 ports and subports by mid-2027. The first two are Batangas Port and Ninoy Aquino International Airport, while the BoC is still considering Cebu or Davao as the third pilot site. — Justine Irish D. Tabile