MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected P45.398 billion last month, slightly exceeding its target for the period due to the strong performance of most of the country’s ports.
Preliminary data from the BOC’s Financial Service showed the bureau surpassed its target collection of P45.133 billion in March by P265 million, generating P45.398 billion in revenues even though there were two non-working holidays during the period.
This is also 19.1 percent higher than the P38.11 billion collected in the same period last year.
Customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña said the increased collections were largely due to the performance of 12 ports which exceeded their revenue collection goals for the month.
These were led by the port of Batangas, which collected P11.542 billion or 10.5 percent higher than its P10.449 billion goal.
The port of Limay also exceeded its target of P2.746 billion by 5.5 percent, collecting P2.896 billion during the period, while the port of Cebu collected P2.189 billion, 7.6 percent up against the P1.449 billion target.
Other ports who were able to meet their targets include Davao (P1.755 billion), Subic (P1.655 billion), Cagayan de Oro (P1.625 billion), San Fernando (P278 million), Clark (P154 million), Tacloban (P68 million), Legaspi (P22.10 million), Surigao (P4 million) and Aparri (P6 million)).
On the other hand, the BOC said five other ports were not able to hit their target for the month.
These are Manila, which collected P5.776 billion or 14.9 percent below its P6.785 billion target; the Manila International Container Port, which generated P12.625 billion, falling below its P13.917 billion goal; the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which raised P3.094 billion or 25.9 percent below target; Iloilo, which collected P176 million; and Zamboanga, which fetched P700,000 in revenues.
“Following this development, the district collectors of these ports and others concerned will be eventually replaced,” the BOC said.
This is in compliance with the earlier directive of Lapeña, which orders for district collectors, deputy collectors for assessment, chiefs of formal entry division, examiners, appraisers, and other BOC personnel to be relieved from their position if they fail to meet their target collections.
Lapeña said he is commending all the top performing areas and encouraged all ports to double collection efforts to hit the target until end of the year.
For 2018, the BOC is targeting to collect P598 billion in customs duties and taxes, higher than last year’s actual collection of P458.2 billion.