In a bid to simplify and improve customs processes consistent with trade facilitation, Customs chief Isidro Lapeña on Monday ordered the immediate removal of some customs personnel assigned at the terminal gates.
Customs gatekeepers of Pier and Inspection Division (PID) and customs police of Enforcement and Security Services (ESS) are no longer tasked to check the gate pass at the terminal gates.
This after Lapeña in a walk-through inspection at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) yesterday, found out that there is redundancy of workload among BOC employees.
“What they actually do is redundant, because port operators already have a working system to check the entry and exit of containers. If the trucks are given the go-signal to leave the terminals, then we have to release them from the ports at once,” Lapeña explained.
Lapeña argued document checking on the part of the gatekeepers is no longer necessary because prior to cargo release, the documents have been checked.
Before this new directive came in, gatekeepers prevent shipments with no gate pass to leave the customs zone. Aside from cargo, gatekeepers check among others, the container number and registry number of the carrying vessel.
However, port operators are already equipped with barcode scanning system -a system containing shipment details of containers already marked for release, which the gatekeepers manually check.
Lapeña said the bureau is coordinating with port operators to fully implement the automated system in the terminals.
He adds, “they have been long clamoring that port operations be at par with other countries in terms of automation. They have been asking the bureau to do away with manual and redundant processes.”
The ESS guards, on the other hand, is in charge of security of the entire port perimeter. The terminals, although managed by private operators, are considered an extension of BOC jurisdiction.
However, Lapeña said that cargoes already allowed or marked for release should no longer be subjected to further scrutiny by ESS guards at the gates prior to their exit.
“I am also hearing negative feedback as to the alleged conspiracy among PID gatekeepers and ESS guards before cargoes are released at the gates. This has to stop immediately,” Lapeña reveals.
This latest policy pronouncement will be enforced in four pilot ports namely, Ports of Manila and Batangas, having the same terminal operator, the Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) and Port of Subic and MICP, with private terminal operator, the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI).
The ports’ respective district collectors are given the authority to determine new tasks for the BOC personnel affected by this new directive to render them effective without redundancy in functions. (BOC-PR)
