MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is set to extend the validity of importer accreditations to three years from one year to streamline trade processes and reduce red tape.
The move, which seeks to amend Customs Administrative Order 07-2022, is in line with President Marcos’ directive to improve ease of doing business and is aimed at enhancing efficiency and reducing corruption opportunities in the accreditation process.
“We are committed to making the accreditation process more efficient for importers while upholding transparency and accountability in our operations,” Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.
“By streamlining procedures and reducing opportunities for discretion, these reforms will help deter corruption and promote a more honest and service-oriented BOC,” Nepomuceno said in a statement.
Under the proposed amendment, the validity period of importer accreditation will be extended to three years, significantly easing the administrative burden on businesses by eliminating the need for annual renewals. This is expected to allow importers to focus more on operations and contribute to smoother trade facilitation.
To support the changes, the accreditation processing fee will be adjusted to P5,000 from P2,000.
The BOC said the increase would help upgrade systems and services and ensure better management of accreditation-related demands.
The application form will also be revised to capture more accurate information, while importers will be required to submit an annual reportorial compliance 30 days before the anniversary of their accreditation. This report will detail any updates to company documents or operational information to ensure continued oversight.
To further improve ease of compliance, the BOC is introducing guidelines for the automatic renewal of accreditations for qualified importers, which is another measure aimed at reducing discretion and promoting consistency in enforcement.
The BOC legal team is currently finalizing the review of the draft amendment. Implementation is expected once the proposal is cleared in accordance with existing laws and regulations.