The Bureau of Customs has donated mobile phones, laptops, educational materials and other seized goods to the Department of Education and other government agencies.
The bureau said this is in compliance with the instructions of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.
In a report to Dominguez, the BOC said that from March 2020 to August 2021, the bureau turned over abandoned or confiscated broadcasting equipment, food items, temporary shelters, face shields and various medical supplies and equipment to government agencies where these goods will be put to good use.
BOC turned over to the DepEd assorted cellular phones and laptops from the Port of Clark in Pampanga on January 29; and learning packets for learners from the port of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on March 16, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said in his report.
Guerrero said the BOC donated to the Presidential Communications Operations Office abandoned broadcast equipment from the Port of Davao on October 20, 2020, and another 17 packages of live broadcasting room equipment with FM broadcast transmitter last July 27.
The BOC is also set to turn over a separate set of live broadcast room equipment and medium wave transmitter abandoned in the Port of Cebu to the PCOO.
From the Port of Manila, the BOC donated to the Department of Social Welfare and Development 40 boxes of face shields that were turned over on July 14, 2021 and a 40-foot container of Libby’s Vienna Sausage turned over on May 1, 2020.
Also turned over to the DSWD were 10 boxes of assorted apparel from the Port of Iloilo last March 7, 2020; 10 packages of canvas tents, with accessories and 2 units of stretch tents from the NAIA, on August 27 this year.
Guerrero said the BOC is also in the process of turning over to the Department of Health about 11,500 face shields; 7,000 pieces of surgical face masks; 19,000 pieces of children’s disposable face masks; and 12,000 pieces of disposable adult face masks that were seized in the Port of Manila.
The North Luzon Regional Office of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos was the recipient last August 13 of a 20-foot container of Muslim books seized from the Port of Subic, while the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority received 16 20-foot containers of twine, yarn droppings and cuttings on Aug. 13 from the Port of Cebu.
Nine 40-foot containers and one 20-foot container of steel beams and accessories, 487 pieces of coated pipes and uncoated pipe tubes, 35 40-foot containers and a 20-foot container of steel parts seized in the Port of Subic were initially turned over by the BOC to the Department of Transportation, but is now in the process of being transferred to the Philippine Navy, Guerrero said.
Guerrero said the BOC will also turn over to the Navy 3, 20-foot empty containers located in the Port of Batangas.
Eight drums of oil seized in the Port of Surigao will be turned over to the Surigao city government, he said.
Various undeclared bathroom items seized in the Port of Iloilo are set to be donated by the BOC to the Iloilo city government once the latter has completed the processes required for the turnover.
Guerrero said the Lapu-lapu city government is also set to receive 32 20-foot containers of twine, yarn droppings, and cuttings from the Port of Cebu; and the Mandaue city government, 12 20-foot containers of the same materials.
The DSWD Central Visayas Field Office is also the recipient of 4 20-foot containers of twine, yarn droppings and cuttings that were also forfeited by the consignee and left in the Port of Cebu.
Guerrero said a forfeited 40-foot container of various medical supplies and equipment stored in the Port of Davao will be donated to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.