CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Bureau of Customs in Northern Mindanao (BOC-10) is now closer to achieving its collection target as taxes and duties earnings have picked up in the past few months.
From January to October, BOC-10 was able to collect more than P10 billion, said BOC-10 Collector Jamail Marohomsalic.
He said the agency’s original target was P12 billion, but Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña ordered the adjustment on BOC-10’s collection goal for this year.
Despite the additional P1 billion, Marohomsalic said they can still reach the target “as long as our stakeholders (importers and exporters) declare their shipment properly and pay the right taxes.”
The earnings of the BOC-10 will form part of the overall income of the bureau, which has reached more than P42 billion in October, according to BoC. That was “the highest monthly collection in the agency’s history,” Lapeña said on the agency’s website.
“Although the month of October was marked with lesser number of working days and volume of imports, growth was still achieved because of increase in the value of imports brought by the higher exchange rate, oil price, and improved valuation and classification,” Lapeña said.
Aside from its traditional collection efforts, the BOC-10 has also earned extra income through auction of good seized due to failure of importers to comply with the Customs requirements.
Marvin Mison, Deputy Collector for Assessment and Auction Committee vice chair, said they were able to generate about P2.5 million from the auctioned items. The auction was held last Nov. 2.
Mison said another round of auction will be conducted on Nov. 24 and he expects more bidders will participate.
Alvin Enciso, chief of the BOC-10’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), said there about 100 container vans that were confiscated by the agency awaiting inventory.
Once the goods inside these containers are accounted for, they can now be auctioned off, Enciso said.
Meanwile, fuel companies, power producers and food processing facilities were among the entities given recognition by BOC-10 for helping the agency in its collection of taxes and duties over the years.
Marohomsalic said they have cited the top 10 exporters and importers who have transactions in the region’s various seaports.
The top 10 importers are Nestlé Philippines Inc., Jetti Petroleum Inc., Minergy Coal Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Phoenix Petroleum Phils Inc., Cagayan Corn Products Corp., Seaoil Philippines Inc., Steelasia Manufacturing Corp., FDC Misamis Power Corp., and Steag State Power Inc.
Recognized as the top 10 exporters are Pilipinas Kao Inc., Del Monte Philippines Inc., Axelum Resources Corp., Newtech Pulp Inc., Phil. Sinter Corp., Granexport Manufacturing Corp., Wilmar Edible Oils Philippines Inc., Jacobi Carbons Philippines Inc., Cargill Oil Mills Philippines, Inc., and Donau Carbon Philippines Corp. (PNA/Jigger J. Jerusalem)
