The Bureau of Customs exceeded its revenue collection target for the month of February posting a surplus of P1.965 billion as the majority of ports exceeded their revenue goals.
Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said that based on the initial collection report from the agency’s Financial Service, the BoC collected a total of P43.674-billion revenue against the P41.709-billion collection target. This is P12.82 billion or 41.5 percent higher than the P30.854-billion collection on the same period last year.
The increase in February collection is attributed to the improved collection of the majority of the BoC ports, notably by the revenues generated by the Manila International Container Port, Port of Manila and Batangas.
The MICP collected P13.438-billion revenue, up by 4.49 percent against the P12.861-billion target collection. The port was able to hit a surplus of P577 million.
The POM posted P6.529 billion in revenue exceeding its target of P6.27 billion by 4.1 percent and with the surplus reaching P259 million.
The Port of Batangas, on the other hand, collected P9.982-billion revenue with P326-million surplus or 3.4 percent higher than the P9.656 billion revenue goal.
Lapeña said there are 11 other ports that contributed to the notable increase in BoC collection, including the Port of Limay which collected P2.544 billion, or 0.2 percent higher than the P2.538-billion revenue goal, Port of Cebu collected P2.084 billion, or 10.9 percent higher than the P1.879-billion revenue goal; Port of Davao collected P2.067 billion, or 54.4 percent higher than the P1.339-billion revenue goal; Port of Cagayan de Oro collected P1.668 billion, or 41.6 percent higher than the P1.178-billion revenue goal; Port of Subic collected P1.509 billion, or 0.5 percent higher than the P1.501-billion revenue goal; Port of Iloilo, collected P373 million, or 65 percent higher than the P226-million revenue goal.
Other ports includes port of San Fernando collected P293 million, or 28 percent higher than the P228-million revenue goal; Port of Clark collected P142 million, or 29.1 percent higher than the P110-million revenue goal; Port of Tacloban collected P81 million, or 324.6 percent higher than the P19-million revenue goal; Port of Legaspi collected P53 million, or 166.9 percent higher than the P20-million revenue goal; and Port of Aparri collected P27 million, or 579.6 percent higher than the P4-million revenue goal.
The Port of Davao is notable for its consistent collection performance in 2017, and continues to perform well in January and February 2018.
“Majority or 14 out of the 17 ports of the Bureau of Customs exceeded their collection target for the month and this is mainly because of the intensive campaign against corruption and smuggling,” said Lapeña.
The BOC monitors the entry of all shipments and closely look after any form of smuggling attempts. Lapeña has also directed bureau officials to ensure that duties and taxes go straight into the government coffers.
The Customs chief has declared at the start of the year that the Bureau will be able to hit the target, an achievement that has eluded the BOC for many years now. He remains optimistic that the increase in revenue will continue up to the end of the year.