Customs readies auction of P1 B overstaying cargoes

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs is eyeing to raise P1 billion from the sale of overstaying cargoes it ordered removed from ports by the end of the first quarter.

“Customs directed all ports to review all overstaying cargoes for possible auction in line with efforts to boost revenues and decongest the port areas,” the agency said in a statement.

Overstaying shipments pertain to cargoes left without import entries or unpaid dues 30 days after arrival.

Last January, Customs commissioner Alberto Lina issued an order to remove unclaimed cargoes by March 31 to avoid a repeat of the port congestion in Manila in 2014 as a result of an expanded truck ban.

The ban was lifted after six months, but since then the national government has consistently monitored the flow of shipments in ports.

Based on Customs figures, overstaying cargoes at the Port of Manila are estimated to be worth P300 million. The Port of Subic pegged possible revenues at P150 million.

At the Manila International Container Port (MICP), the country’s biggest, a total of P462.6 million in overdue cargoes were seized.

Only MICP has conducted the public sale so far, while the rest are still being scheduled.

Before the MICP auction, Customs collected P345.63 million from auctions in six ports as of April this year.

“We are clearing as much as we could here. Of course, it cannot be 100 percent, but we almost cleared everything,” Lina told reporters on the sidelines of the Department of Finance (DOF) anniversary recently.

“Hopefully, we are praying that we clear it until June,” he added.

The DOF oversees Customs as a revenue agency that accounts for a fifth of state revenues.

In January, the agency collected P31.08 billion, up six percent year-on-year but fell below its P39.2-billion target for the month.

Customs is tasked to collect P498.7 billion this year.