In line with President Duterte’s order to shorten processing time for letters, requests, and permits, Commissioner Isidro Lapeña has signed a memorandum to fast-track the document processing time.
Pursuant to RA 6713 known as Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards from Public Officials and Employees, RA 9845 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, and SONA Directive No. 2017-0010 of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, on October 23, the BOC released Customs Memorandum Order No. 24-2017 setting a “5-day mandatory timeframe to respond to all clients, be it external or internal.”
Communication letters, requests, and other permits shall be acted by the concerned office within five days upon receipt of documents.
“When there’s delay, there is grease money,” the customs chief said in one of his speech before the employees of the bureau.
Commissioner Lapeña said the delays have caused the importers to resort to bribery, “they are looking for people who can facilitate their shipments and documents.”
Once shipments are “facilitated”, most of the times they [the importers] resort to benchmarking, one of the reasons why the bureau cannot hit the target set by the Department of Finance, he said.
Moreover, the customs chief has given orders to the Account Management Office (AMO) to streamline the procedures in the accreditation of importers and brokers.
Pertaining to AMO as the first show window of the bureau, Lapeña criticized the said office for the delays, stressing that it takes a month or two before the documents are released.
“Once documents are complete, the processing time shall start and it should not exceed five days,” he added.
The customs chief bared that applicants can proceed to the Office of the Commissioner if their permits were not yet released by AMO within the 5-day timeframe.
“The Bureau of Customs is now two steps in eradicating the century-practice of graft and corruption in the agency,” said the customs chief.
It can be recalled that the bureau chief recently sacked a MICP employee for alleged corruption, and has issued guidelines on the processing time of documents in the bureau.
Commissioner Lapeña challenged the BOC personnel to deliver a people-friendly public service to the public.
“As public servants, we have to deliver what we are supposed to perform,” the Customs chief added. (BOC-PR)
