Customs chief sacked; Sebastian back in DA

Rubio takes over at BOC

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has sacked the chief of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and brought back from limbo a resigned agriculture official to lead the Department of Agriculture’s rice industry development concerns.

The Presidential Communications Office announced yesterday Marcos’ appointment of Bienvenido Rubio as BOC commissioner replacing Yogi Filemon Ruiz, who was appointed Customs chief only last year. The PCO did not state the reason for the new appointment.

Rubio was director of the BOC Port Operations Service before his appointment as new Customs chief. He had also served as OIC of the bureau’s Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group.

In a statement, Rubio said his priorities are to hit and surpass the revenue target, simplify and secure the facilitation of trade, curb smuggling of any form and uplift the morale of the men and women of the bureau.

“I believe in promoting good governance by strengthening the Bureau of Customs first, through active collaboration with its partner-agencies and stakeholders. Essentially, stakeholders will always be considered and included in the process of improving customs services and procedures,” the new customs chief said.

“I am also confident that 90 percent of the problems encountered by the customs administration can be solved just by looking at things in an inward perspective,” he added.

Rubio vowed to use his background in intelligence and investigative work in “buttressing the resolve of the bureau to protect the country’s borders from all forms of smuggling,” especially those involving agricultural products and illegal drugs.

“Over and above, I aspire to foster a healthier trade environment which will contribute to the expansion and economic recovery of the country by equipping the Bureau of Customs with better and modernized mechanisms for trade facilitation and a more improved collection efficiency through the introduction of these sustainable reforms,” he said.

Digitalization

Rubio is also planning to review and revise customs processes by digitalizing all processes, enhance the competencies and integrity of personnel to ensure the delivery of quality public service, adopt a data-driven culture to ensure that the data gathered are used in the decision-making for every level of the organization and link the actions of the agency to feedbacks and evaluation from its partners and stakeholders.

According to a customs statement, Rubio started working in the bureau as a special agent 1 in 2001. He was then appointed as a special investigator, then as intelligence officer I and was later named officer-in-charge of the intelligence division for the Manila International Container Port and the Port of Manila. He also served as intelligence officer III and IV before being promoted to director III in 2021.

A native of Batac, Ilocos Norte, Rubio finished his political science degree at the Ateneo de Manila University and his juris doctor degree at the San Beda College of Law and San Sebastian College of Law.

Top rice man

In a memorandum from the Office of the Executive Secretary dated Feb. 8, suspended DA Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian has been named undersecretary for rice industry development and directed to represent the President and concurrent agriculture secretary in rice matters “such as, but not limited to, the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Program Steering Committee, Philippine Rice Research Institute Board of Directors, National Food Authority Council, National Irrigation Administration Board of Trustees and International Rice Research Institute Board of Trustees.”

In his new job, Sebastian will lead in the formulation of operational plans for the development of the rice industry, as well as oversee the execution of related plans, policies, programs and projects. He is also tasked to ensure the implementation of the Rice Industry Roadmap.

Furthermore, he will supervise the execution of well-planned, well-coordinated and integrated interventions in the rice industry to help farmers become profitable and globally competitive.

Last year, palay production decreased to 19.76 million metric tons from the record high of 19.96 million MT in 2021.

Sebastian resigned at the height of the controversy over the issuance of sugar importation order in August last year. President Marcos did not accept his resignation and even cleared him on Dec. 29 of wrongdoing, along with other agriculture officials. The Office of the President (OP) merely admonished them “to be more prudent and circumspect in the performance of their duties.” Marcos reportedly based his decision to keep Sebastian on the Nov. 21 report and recommendation of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs.

In good faith

In its decision, the OP ruled that Sugar Order No. 4 (SO4), which called for the importation of 300,000 MT of refined sugar to arrest rising prices and address supply gaps, was done in good faith.

Marcos had said he did not authorize – as chairman of the SRA Board – the 300,000 MT sugar importation under SO4, which was signed by Sebastian as then officer-in-charge of the DA.

The Office of the President said Sebastian and the others had thought they were authorized to issue the order due to miscommunication from a memorandum of then executive secretary Victor Rodriguez dated July 15.

The memo granted Sebastian authority to sign contracts, memoranda of agreement, administrative issuances, instruments and administrative and financial documents for the President.

‘No moral authority’

Sebastian’s latest appointment, however, did not sit well with some industry players.

In a statement, Bantay Bigas spokesperson Cathy Estavillo said Sebastian is still facing administrative complaint related to the sugar fiasco.

“He no longer has moral integrity. It’s embarrassing that Marcos Jr.’s officials are being recycled. His record is not good,” she said in Filipino.

“We are pushing for someone who is competent, pro-farmers and an advocate for promoting the strengthening of local production,” Estavillo said.

Marcos has also appointed National Telecommunications Commission OIC and lawyer Ella Blanca Lopez as commissioner of the agency.

Lopez was appointed to the post last Feb. 7, Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said.

She is a former NTC director, OIC of the commission’s legal branch and chief of staff of the commissioner’s office.

Maj. Gen. Leonel Nicolas has been named chief of the Intelligence Service of the AFP.

Lopez, who was appointed to the post last Feb. 1, served as the deputy chief of staff for intelligence and commander of the Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade and Joint Task Force Zamboanga.

The PCO also announced new appointees in the DA – Romeo Reyes (director IV), Josemari Hernando (director III) and Lita Rosales (director III), Karen Roscom (director IV of the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards), Paul Limson (director IV of the Bureau of Animal Industry).

New appointments were also announced for the Department of Budget’s Government Procurement Policy Board Technical Support Office – Ma. Jozzenne Claire Carandang (deputy director IV) and Maria Dionesia Gullermo (deputy director IV).

New appointees to the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council were Arturo Baesa, Annie Geron, Angelita Señorin and Jesus Villamor (members representing the labor sector).

For the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Commission, the new appointees were Juan Johnny dela Cruz and Alfonso Lao (members representing the employers sector in the Cordillera region) and Romeo Sustiguer Jr. (member representing the employers sector in Caraga).