Marcos Jr. reshuffles heads of BIR, Customs, BCDA

MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration is carrying out another leadership shake-up, affecting key agencies including the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

Ariel Nepomuceno said goodbye yesterday to the BOC, where he will be replaced as commissioner by Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) chief Charlito Mendoza.

Nepomuceno will reportedly go to the BCDA, while Mendoza will be replaced in the BIR by Finance Undersecretary Rolando Ligon Jr.

BCDA president and CEO Joshua Bingcang is moving to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Finance Secretary Frederick Go announced during the ceremonial turnover yesterday of the BCDA’s P8.4-billion remittance to the Bureau of the Treasury.

The fate of PEZA chief Tereso Panga is uncertain.

“I am honored to accept this new assignment at the Bureau of Customs,” Mendoza said in a statement.

Mendoza, a lawyer and licensed geodetic engineer, was appointed by President Marcos as BIR chief in November 2025.

“I wish to recognize Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno for the reforms he has undertaken at the BOC. We will build on his accomplishments and continue the work already underway,” Mendoza added.

Mendoza said he looks forward to working with the BOC workforce to carry out the priorities of the administration, such as strengthening border protection, sustaining revenue collection and facilitating legitimate trade.

He urged BIR personnel to support Ligon and ensure the completion of the agency’s tax modernization projects.

“You saw the performance of BCDA. It’s a very good performance. So I believe the capabilities, the leadership there is more than qualified to be wherever the President would like them to be,” Go said, as he announced the appointment of Bingcang to the country’s second biggest investment promotion agency.

Investments approved by the BCDA surged by 143 percent to P145.46 billion in the January to October period.

The BCDA’s latest remittance brings the state-run firm’s total remittance from its asset disposition proceeds to P11.5 billion, a 267-percent jump from its P3.1-billion contribution last year. The bulk of the proceeds will go to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

When asked about the possible leadership changes at the BOC and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Go said that all announcements would be made by the Office of the President.

“We all serve at the pleasure of the President. This is the President’s prerogative to appoint the right person for the right position,” he said.

Just over a year after his appointment as BOC chief, Nepomuceno confirmed his eventual departure from the agency that he said he has helped reform and modernize.

In a statement, Nepomuceno thanked the men and women of the bureau for their cooperation in transforming the BOC.

“Thank you, everyone, for your support and dedication as we worked together toward our shared goal of transforming the Bureau of Customs. Because of your commitment and hard work, we have accomplished so much, and our institution today is stronger, more respected, and better understood by the public,” Nepomuceno said. He also asked them to support his successor.

“I ask that you extend to him the same trust, cooperation, and commitment that you have generously given me, so that together you can bring the Bureau of Customs to even greater heights,” he added.

Despite economic and trade headwinds, the agency was able to collect ?853.662 billion from January to October 2026, which exceeded its target for the period by ?7.14 billion.

Under his watch, the BOC conducted 1,452 enforcement and intelligence operations that led to the seizure of ?50.93 billion worth of illicit and smuggled goods. Such operations prevented illegal drugs, counterfeit products, unsafe goods, and other contraband from reaching Filipino communities.

Exporters concerned  over leadership change

Meanwhile, the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) expressed concern over the leadership changes particularly at PEZA and BOC.

“At a time when the country needs to strengthen investor confidence, expand exports and improve ease of doing business, Philexport believes that preserving institutional continuity and sustaining reforms in these two agencies should be given utmost consideration,” the group said

The leadership changes are taking place as the PEZA is poised to achieve record-high investment approvals this year, while main revenue-generating agencies are under pressure to meet their combined collection target of P4.44 trillion this year.

PEZA’s Panga said last week that the agency expects to approve a total of P315 billion to P320 billion worth of investments this year based on its project pipeline. If realized, this would be higher than the all-time high investment approvals amounting to P312 billion achieved in 2012.

Investments approved by the PEZA amounted to P309.63 billion as of end-October, 77 percent higher year-on-year. - Evelyn Macairan, Aubrey Rose Inosante