No break, no holiday in Bureau of Customs

MANILA, Philippines - Starting next month, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) will implement a “no-break, no-holiday” policy in anticipation of more crowded ports for the Christmas season.

Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina said working hours at all ports nationwide will be from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. with no noon breaks during weekdays. The BOC will also not take regular holidays so as to not miss any business day.

“We will exhaust all means for an improved customs service delivery to a higher level committed to reducing inefficiencies and delay. We intend for the ‘ber-months’ to pass by smoothly without any reports of port congestion,” Lina said in a statement.

“There will be no regular non-working holidays for us in the bureau leading to Christmas,” he added.

Division chiefs will be in charge of the employees’ schedule to make sure there are no interruption in BOC’s services. Employees will be divided in shifts with different lunch breaks so services will continue within the new 12-hour frame.