Customs hikes goal for 2nd semester

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has raised its total collection target for the second half to P372.1 billion to make up for the P7-billion deficit in its actual take during the first six months.

In a July 17 memorandum to all district collectors, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero said the adjusted target took into consideration the actual collections from oil of the country’s second-biggest revenue agency thus far.

Between January and June, the BOC collected P303 billion in import duties and other taxes, up 8.45 percent year-on-year but below the six-month target.

As such, the BOC jacked up its cash collections goal for the period July-to-December to P365.4 billion from P358.4 billion previously.

For the entire 2019, the BOC has been programmed by the Cabinet-level, interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) to generate P661 billion in tax revenues, equivalent to 3.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

The BOC also needed to collect P6.7 billion from the tax expenditures fund (TEF) during the second half. The TEF represents the supposed duties on government importation.

The BOC adjusted the collection goal for the month of July to P61.9 billion from P60.8 billion previously; for August, P58 billion from P56.9 billion; for September, P61.1 billion from P59.9 billion; for October, P65.4 billion from P64.1 billion; for November, P61.9 billion from P60.8 billion, and for December, P57 billion from P55.9 billion.

On a per-port basis, San Fernando’s second-half adjusted target was P1.9 billion; Port of Manila, P52.4 billion; Manila International Container Port, P103.9 billion; Ninoy Aquino International Airport, P24.3 billion; Batangas, P91 billion; Legazpi, P216.4 million; Iloilo, P1.2 billion; Cebu, P16.8 billion; Tacloban, P780.2 million; Surigao, P28.2 million; Cagayan de Oro, P14.4 billion; Zamboanga, P191 million; Davao, P15.8 billion; Subic, P13.4 billion; Clark, P1.2 billion; Aparri, P62.5 million, and Limay, P27.7 billion. —BEN O. DE VERA