President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday administered the oath of office to Ariel Nepomuceno as the new Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, replacing Bienvenido Rubio.
Nepomuceno, who previously served as Executive Director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and Undersecretary at the Office of Civil Defense, brings years of public service experience to one of the most critical and scrutinized revenue-generating agencies in the country.
Rubio, who assumed the post in February 2023, had vowed to intensify the bureau’s anti-smuggling operations and digital transformation programs.
The Palace did not release specific reasons for the leadership change, but it comes amid the administration’s continuing push for improved efficiency, transparency, and anti-corruption measures across all agencies.
Nepomuceno’s appointment is expected to further the Marcos administration’s agenda of modernizing customs procedures and strengthening border security.
