Dominguez to Guerrero: Eliminate corruption, smuggling at BOC

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III. DOF photo

Rid the Bureau of Customs (BOC) of corruption and smuggling, as well as collect a bigger P55 billion in import duties and other taxes per month next year.

These were the marching orders of Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, who heads the Duterte administration’s economic team, to new Customs Commissioner Rey Guerrero when they met last Wednesday afternoon.

The BOC — the country’s second biggest tax-collection agency after the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) — is attached to the Department of Finance (DOF).

In a Viber message to finance beat reporters, Dominguez said he and Guerrero “discussed the way forward to implement the President’s wishes—the urgent need to completely eliminate corruption and smuggling, particularly illegal drugs; the trade facilitation function of the BOC; and the target of collecting an average of P55 billion per month in 2019.”

Asked what was Guerrero’s response, Dominguez replied: “Jagger absolutely is up to the challenge, and I am fully confident in his ability to deliver on all fronts.”

“The DOF team will provide our utmost support,” Dominguez added.

Former AFP Chief of Staff and now incoming Customs chief Rey Leonardo Geurrero

The BOC is tasked to collect P598 billion this year and a higher P670 billion next year.

Under former Customs chief Isidro S. Lapeña, Guerrero’s predecessor, the BOC exceeded its monthly revenue targets for eight straight months since February.

As of October 29, actual collections of P481.7 billion surpassed by 3.2 percent the P466.7-billion goal for the first 10 months of 2018.  /kga