BOC turns over rice, canned goods to DSWD for ‘Ompong’ victims

MANILA — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) donated anew various forfeited goods such as rice and canned goods to victims of Typhoon Ompong in northern Luzon.

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña noted that this is the fourth time that they are giving away items to typhoon victims, as the ports of Cebu, Zamboanga, and Manila International Container Port have earlier donated goods to those affected by “Ompong”.

“We at the BOC are ready to help those who are affected by calamities,” he said after the turnover ceremony of the BOC’s donation consist of 374 sacks of rice and 5,040 canned goods to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Monday morning.

“To help our kababayan (fellowmen) who were affected by the recent calamity that devastated several areas in Northern Luzon, the Bureau of Customs decided to provide our fellow Filipinos with humanitarian aid through the DSWD,” he added.

Ronald Reonal, from the DSWD-National Response and Logistics Management Service, personally accepted the donations in the ceremonial turnover during the Bureau’s flag raising ceremony.

Last week, the MICP has donated 109 packages of emergency survival blankets, 153 packages of face masks, 350 boxes of bed sheets, blankets and 1,332 boxes of brand new clothes.

Lapeña explained that the donated goods were declared abandoned for lack of interest on the part of the consignee and were deemed property of the government.

The BOC chief noted that the Bureau’s Disaster Relief Team, headed by Deputy Commissioner Edward James Dy Buco, in coordination with the Auction and Cargo Disposal Division of the said port, identified said goods for eligible for donation and were considered viable for donation by the DSWD.

Under Section 1141 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, “goods subject to disposition may be donated to another government agency or declared for official use of the Bureau, after the approval of Secretary of Finance, or sold at a public auction within 30 days after a 10-day notice posted at a public place at the port where the goods are located and published electronically or in a newspaper of general circulation.” (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)