Panayam kay BOC Assistant Commissioner/Spokesperson Atty. Vincent Philip Maronilla
Panayam kay BOC Assistant Commissioner/Spokesperson Atty. Vincent Philip Maronilla
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00:00 is from the agency responsible for effective revenue collection
00:05 that helps the economy of the country,
00:08 a very important agency partner,
00:10 the Bureau of Customs.
00:12 Yes, ADG John, we have discussed and reported several times
00:16 in our program the surpassing of the Bureau of Customs
00:21 in their target collections,
00:23 which is a great accomplishment,
00:25 not only in the agency, but also in the entire government.
00:28 Yes, that's true. They surpassed their collection targets.
00:31 So congratulations to the BOC.
00:34 Let's find out what else they have committed
00:36 and what else we can expect from the BOC.
00:40 And we will have with us now,
00:41 Attorney Vincent Philip Maronilla,
00:44 the Assistant Commissioner and Speaker of the Bureau of Customs.
00:49 Good afternoon and Happy New Year, ASCOM Maronilla.
00:53 Happy New Year. Happy New Year.
00:55 Yes, ASCOM, as part of the achievements of the Bureau of Customs,
01:00 how big is the estimated revenue collection performance of the BOC in 2023?
01:07 Our target is about Php 901 billion for 2023.
01:17 Now, we achieved this and we have an additional surplus,
01:22 more or less amounting to more than Php 10 billion,
01:27 our surplus that we collected.
01:30 We achieved this by streamlining our processes
01:37 and of course, we improved our revenue efficiency.
01:41 We tried to locate our loopholes and we tried to plug it, sir,
01:45 through some scientific method that we helped together
01:50 with some private sector representatives like the Ateneo School of Government
01:54 and our stakeholders.
01:57 Wow, that's very encouraging. I can't imagine.
02:00 Php 901 billion and you surpassed it, right?
02:05 And more than Php 10 billion.
02:07 Yes, Php 10 billion.
02:09 Sorry, Php 10 billion.
02:11 Are we confident, Attorney, that the BOC will achieve the target
02:15 of Php 1 trillion collection goal
02:19 in 2024?
02:21 What are the priority measures of the BOC to achieve this?
02:27 Actually, ma'am, we tried to reach Php 1 trillion this year.
02:32 Sadly, there were macroeconomic assumptions that it didn't happen.
02:38 So, beyond the control of the Bureau and of course, of everyone,
02:42 there are factors that it didn't happen.
02:46 But our projection and the projection of the DBCC and our economic managers,
02:52 all of this will happen by 2024.
02:56 If we continue on our track to improve further our revenue efficiency
03:00 and improve our processes,
03:07 if our process is smooth,
03:11 we will be happy to have our businessmen do business
03:14 and our investors will be added to our imports and duties.
03:21 By that, we're projecting to collect Php 1 trillion and I think even surpass it.
03:28 Wow, the BOC's target is huge this year.
03:33 So, that's it for last year, ASCOM.
03:36 Can you share to us what are the ports that contributed to the increase
03:44 and meeting the targets of the BOC?
03:47 What are these ports?
03:49 The usual, Port of Manila, Subic and Batangas?
03:54 Yes, sir. ADG.
03:57 50% of the collection of the BOC is already there.
04:02 That's the Manila International Container Port, which is 30% of our volume
04:07 and about 30% of our target comes from.
04:10 Batangas will be added to it.
04:12 25% of our collection comes from there.
04:18 And of course, the Port of Manila, which is around 18 to 20% comes from there.
04:23 But major drivers also are the increased trade and collection coming from our outports,
04:30 namely Cebu. Cebu's trade is strong and we got a large collection from them.
04:37 Of course, Davao and Cagende Oro, the collection that they're giving us is also large,
04:42 even the surplus that our two ports gave us.
04:46 Of course, we will not forget our few ports that although the volume is not that large,
04:52 they still contributed a lot to our transactions like Subic.
04:56 Clark, our air shipment, has an increase in volume and transaction of e-commerce.
05:03 That helped our election.
05:07 Also, the IA ports.
05:09 Of course, the other ports, Legasti, Tacloban, Iloilo, even San Fernando, we have activities there.
05:19 The other ports, the local businessmen there are also investing to improve these ports.
05:29 Our government is slowly investing in our ports so that there will be more economic activity in those towns.
05:37 We're projecting to have an increase in those, an improvement in those,
05:42 will also result in an increase in the revenue for the Bureau of Customs.
05:46 Ascom, you made a very good point.
05:49 The more the Bureau of Customs collects, the more it shows economic activity.
05:54 It means that our country's economy is flourishing.
05:57 You mentioned Davao, you mentioned Cagende Oro, Iloilo.
06:00 That means that our country's economy is also improving.
06:04 We know that one of the priorities of the current administration is digitalization.
06:10 Can you give us an update on the automation projects of the Customs Bureau
06:16 and what percentage of the digitalization of your activities after 2023?
06:25 Sir, we're targeting, in 2023, almost 99% of our processes were digitized.
06:35 What we're looking for is the remaining 1%, a little bit of 1% remaining.
06:43 There's a problem with the integration with other systems where the Bureau of Customs is involved.
06:52 There are entities that cannot interlink with the Bureau of Customs.
06:58 We're helping them to complete our interlinkage and to complete it.
07:04 Our goal in 2024, when we digitized our processes, is to integrate these processes
07:10 so that we can make a cohesive process of our improvements.
07:19 Of course, the Philippine Customs Modernization Project, which is a project of the Philippine government
07:27 and in partnership with the World Bank, is also on its way.
07:31 Those are the components that will further improve the digitization efforts of the Bureau of Customs.
07:38 Yes. Ascom, can you share to us a specific process in your Bureau that has already gone through full digitalization?
07:47 For example, if we have fellow Filipinos who have a front-line service,
07:53 if you can share one front-line service that has already been fully digitized by the Bureau.
08:00 Sir, I will set two examples. This is the usual transaction that we have.
08:08 Number one, the accreditation of customs importers is digitized.
08:15 You can file your application online and the requirements, you can also submit them online through PDF form.
08:23 There are requirements for co-op purposes to submit the hard copies.
08:27 That will be done later. You can submit your application online and the requirements online.
08:33 That will roll the process. Once approved, you can on a later date, just for audit purposes,
08:40 you can submit the hard copies through our customer care centers.
08:45 When we file our entries, when we transact with the Bureau of Customs, we don't have a face-to-face.
08:52 You can just file your import entry online and then the follow-up, including the status of your shipment,
09:01 we will process and follow-up it online. You will be given an electronic ticket to the customer care portal system.
09:08 That electronic ticket will be an exclusive key to a chat box and a status box on what's happening to your shipment.
09:17 You can talk to our examiners and if there are additional documents that you need to submit, you can submit them online.
09:27 Even if you didn't go to the peer, you just need to file there and you can process and release your shipment to the Bureau of Customs.
09:36 Okay. Sir, can we ask for an update on the parcel scam or love scam that happened during the holiday season?
09:48 Has the Customs Bureau been caught in this?
09:53 Yes. In the previous years, we have been caught in this. But right now, the efforts in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies,
10:04 because we noticed that this is happening syndicated. The profile of the things we see that are being done and the method of doing it,
10:17 it looks like they are doing it in large scale. Based on our intelligence reports and comparing it to the intelligence reports of other law enforcement agencies,
10:28 we can say that this is syndicated. So our efforts are concentrated together with our other law enforcement agencies, NBI and the Philippine National Police.
10:42 Okay. Are you saying that the syndicates are behind the love scam and parcel scam? Is this in the country or in other countries?
10:54 We have yet to determine whether there are components of other countries. But definitely, there are components of our country.
11:04 Usually, they say it's a contact person who is the one who is carrying out the parcel scam. Here in our country, there is a local number and where they get the money.
11:20 It's usually through a local GCash number or a local bank account number. So we're pretty sure that there are components of our country.
11:33 The others that we caught are our countrymen. But we're not removing the possibility that the person who is carrying out the scam is a foreigner.
11:46 All right. For those who don't know, sir, can you refresh our memories on how this love scam and parcel scam is being done so that later, you're watching this and you're a victim of this love scam?
12:05 The usual target is the active social media. As we all know, the Philippines is ranked among the top users of social media.
12:15 Usually, what happens is you have friends through your social media account, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. You have acquaintances and friends.
12:30 You get to know each other. Whether it becomes into a romantic relationship online, there are such things.
12:38 Usually, there are such things. There are such things that you become close and intimate.
12:44 When they get to know you and they profile you through your... These people are patient, ma'am and sir. They really spend time to talk and profile their victim.
12:58 Once they get your trust, they represent and send parcels to you. Usually, either cash or important things like gifts.
13:11 When there's a relationship, they say show money. They want to bring it to their country. They will send show money so that they can get a visa quickly.
13:23 Then someone will... they will endorse someone who will file a case.
13:30 That person will contact the victim and say your parcel is here and the contents are this much.
13:36 These are the contents. But it's tied to the customs. They need to pay a certain amount to release the customs.
13:43 That's where the scam happens. Once the victim pays, his contacts will suddenly disappear, including his ex-girlfriend or his Facebook friend.
13:54 Okay.
13:55 We really need to be careful as a partner in scams nowadays, especially our fellow countrymen.
14:01 They are always on social media and there are always identity thefts and scams.
14:07 Let's now move on to smuggling. Agricultural smuggling is hotly discussed.
14:16 Is there any news from the Bureau of Customs on the last smugglers after 2023?
14:22 Are we facing any cases? How important is it in total accomplishments that you, the Bureau of Customs, have accomplished in smuggled agricultural products?
14:33 In totality, our smuggled products that we caught are on a record high now.
14:40 In the whole year of 2023, we caught 45 billion pesos worth of smuggled items.
14:53 Majority of that are agricultural products. Our legal service files cases every week.
15:03 The cases against agricultural smugglers do not go beyond that.
15:10 In fact sir, we have already imprisoned four people because of agricultural smuggling.
15:17 Some of them were convicted finally. Some of them are pending in our fiscal year or in court.
15:31 But we continue to file cases against agricultural smugglers.
15:35 That's one of the priorities of Commissioner Bien Rubio, to stop agricultural smuggling.
15:42 We can say that the incident slowed down because of our intensified campaign against agricultural smuggling.
15:53 We're also in close coordination with our stakeholders and our local farmers for their inputs also on what can be done to curb agricultural smuggling
16:09 and what they see in the market that we can do.
16:12 So, even the pursuit outside our ports, we're doing it.
16:18 Our commissioner has visitorial powers.
16:20 We raided the warehouses, with the help of our stakeholders,
16:25 who are saying that they contain smuggled agricultural products and we're fishing and destroying them.
16:32 Yes, Ascom, I think one of the things that Bureau of Customs fished was the rice that our president gave to Port of Sambuanga.
16:43 If I'm not mistaken.
16:44 So, based on the Bureau of Customs' data, what are the biggest items that you smuggled and caught last year?
16:55 Of course, usually sir, what we have... You're right sir.
17:04 What we lack is what creates the temporary.
17:08 One of them is onions.
17:10 Early 2023, we had a problem with onions.
17:16 We found out that there are activities of smuggling of onions.
17:22 Aside from that, onions are a problem.
17:27 They have an artificial shortage.
17:30 They are also involved in smuggling to manipulate our market.
17:36 That's the first thing we noticed in the first part of the year, onions.
17:41 Then it shifted to rice and other agricultural products.
17:45 That's why our campaign is intensified in our products.
17:52 We feel that there is no shortage but artificial shortages are being created and coupled with smuggling activities to manipulate our market.
18:02 Sir, are there still learning and development programs that will be waiting for the employees and the DOC in 2024?
18:14 In 2023, how many development programs have you distributed to them?
18:20 How did this help in the DOC's run?
18:25 Ma'am, it's a regular activity that we conduct to improve the capacity and capabilities of our people.
18:35 As you know, the current situation, especially in international trade, is not stagnant.
18:44 It's not just one situation that we are facing.
18:50 It's often different. The price is different, the rules are different, how they are treated.
18:57 It depends on what is being discussed and trended globally in the exchange of our imported items.
19:06 In order for our government not to lose money and for our countrymen to be protected, we are conducting regular training to our employees.
19:16 The DOC has different functions.
19:19 We have several trainings that we conducted this year to improve our assessment capabilities of our examiners and assessors.
19:28 We also improved the use and intelligence capabilities of our law enforcers, our customs police and our intelligence operatives.
19:37 Overall, we also provided, we also were able to benefit from a lot of grants coming from a partner customs administration,
19:48 who are sharing their experience and expertise on certain items, so our people can improve their skills and knowledge on how to deal with new trends in the market.
20:03 Through that, our country can also be competitive when it comes to such discussions.
20:09 Thank you very much for joining us today and for the information from the Bureau of Customs, Assistant Commissioner and Spokesperson, Attorney Vincent Philip Maronilla.