by John Rey Saavedra/PNA
The Bureau of Customs – Port of Cebu on Monday said it will strictly implement the 15-day period to file import entry for goods shipped from abroad, in order to decongest the Cebu International Port (CIP) yard from unclaimed cargoes.
BOC-Cebu District Collector Elvira Cruz said consignees of imported goods are only given 15 days from arrival to file their import permit before the Entry Processing Unit (EPU) of BOC-Cebu.
“Pursuant to Section 1129 of Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) of 2016, the owner, importer, consignee or interested party has the period of 15 days to file necessary import entry,” she said.
According to her, importers “should file the import entry within that period to avoid inconvenience of having their goods being declared as abandoned.”
She said customs will declare a shipment abandoned upon failure of the consignee to file the said documents within 15 days “from the date of discharge of the last package from the carrying vessel or aircraft.”
The district collector said the period under the new law (Republic Act No. 10863) can be extended for another 15-days “upon valid grounds.”
Cruz said the district port sent notices to eight different importers that failed to file import permit at the EPU, which is headed by Jessica Delgado.
Delgado, in an “urgent notice to file entry” posted before the BOC-Cebu website, identified seven different importers that failed to submit to her office the necessary import documents for its release.
These are: Taiyo Yuden Philippines Inc., Green Core Geothermal Inc., Sking International Trading, Xarito Trading Inc., Home Options Inc., Moph Industrial Sales, and Multi Line Structures Corp.
The shipments — seven 20-footer and five 40-footer container vans — are said to contain bales of shoes and bags, induction motor transformer moulding, forklift rope, fiber cement board, lubricants, and roofing shingles.
