Customs slashes 2013 collection goal to P340B

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Customs has firmed up the reduction of its revenue collection target for this year.

Based on the data submitted by the BOC to the Department of Finance, its 2013 collection target was slashed to P340 billion, or just about 86 percent of the P397.3 billion set in the government’s fiscal program for this year.

Government economic managers used the original figure in their reports during the 2012 yearend economic briefing last week.

There had been talks earlier about a reduction in the BOC target, but Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said in mid-January that the agency was hard-pressed to meet the initial goal provided for in the 2013 BESF or budget expenditures and sources of financing program.

Last month, Biazon said the BOC was embarking on a “reconfiguration” of its organization as one of the several measures meant to help the agency meet its target.

“We will be adjusting our collection strategy every now and then to make the BOC responsive to present trends and needs,” he said.

Based on the revised target, the BOC aims to raise P76.4 billion in the first quarter, P87.5 billion in the second, P86.6 billion in the third and P89.6 billion in the last three months.

For the full year, Manila International Container port at the North Harbor is expected to chip in the biggest share at P88 billion, or 26 percent of the total.

Other expected big contributors are the Port of Manila at the South Harbor with P68 billion (20 percent); Port of Batangas, P67.4 billion (19.8 percent); Port of Limay in Bataan, P39.5 billion (11.6 percent), and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, P25.8 billion (7.6 percent).

In January, Biazon said 16 customs officials had been reassigned under the reorganization which, he said, would focus on frontline officials.

These include BOC X-Ray Unit chief Lourdes Mangaong who was re-assigned as district collector in Cagayan De Oro.