Preliminary figures from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) posted anew a milestone after the agency posted P46.470 billion in November, the highest recorded monthly collection in its revenue history.
Commissioner Isidro Lapena reported that five collection districts were able to surpass their monthly targets, namely, ports of Batangas, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Clark and Tacloban.
Based on the data of the bureau’s Financial Service, the following ports achieved their monthly collection targets:
Port of Batangas, with P 13.339 billion collection, 18% higher against its P11.36 billion revenue target;
Port of Tacloban, with P59 million collection, 177% higher against its P21 million revenue target;
Port of Cagayan de Oro, with P1.273 billion collection, 1.1% higher against its P1.259 billion revenue target;
Port of Clark, with P149 million collection, 6.6% higher against its P140 million revenue target; and
Port of Davao, with P1.56 billion collection, 6.6% higher against its P1.464 billion revenue target.
“We have been achieving historical collection figures since September, but the latest November collection is really a milestone for BOC, being the highest in the monthly collection ever achieved by BOC. This, despite having only 19 working days. I think we could have surpassed our monthly target if November has the usual number of working days,” Lapena said.
Lapena said that apart from the efficient collection of the BOC, and the “no tara policy” strictly being enforced, the increase in the November collection is marked by the increase in oil prices. It is also attributed to the increase in the volume of importation by 7.9% compared to last year’s volume of the same period.
Lapena added that auction proceeds, a non-traditional source of revenue, also contributed significantly to this latest collection feat.
According to the data from the Port Operations Service, for the month of November alone, total proceeds from auction reached P62, 515, 119.12. Meanwhile, total auction proceeds from January to November was posted at P256, 830,675.91. This collection came from auction proceedings of the BOC ports nationwide.
It can also be recalled that Customs, thru the sub-port of Iligan, made a successful case settlement with First Nationwide Assurance Company in the amount of P110 million, which is posted as part of last month’s revenue.
Past records of the agency’s monthly collection only reached more or less P35 billion while daily average collection amounted to only P1.8 billion.
However, upon assumption of Lapena as customs chief, the monthly and even the daily collections made records in the bureau’s revenue collection history.
September monthly collection was posted at P41 billion while October reached P42 billion.
Last November 3 and 10, the BOC reached its highest daily collection in the amount of P3.045 billion and P3.839 billion, respectively.
“I am really optimistic that by December, the BOC will finally be able to hit, if not surpass its monthly target. Together with all the ports, we are really hoping that we will achieve this.” | BOC-PR
