The Port of San Fernando in La Union announced on Monday it had exceeded its P4.101-billion revenue goal for this year by P105 million.
San Fernando district collector and lawyer Rhea Gregorio said her port collected a total revenue of P4.206 billion. She added they had exceeded their full-year revenue target as early as Dec. 23.
“A challenging [task], considering that I took over during the time when the volume of importation is projected to be on a down slope due to weather conditions and scheduled maintenance on the facilities of our regular importers,” explained Gregorio in meeting their annual target.
“Despite that, however, through the hardwork and cooperation of the men and women of the port, we managed to look for non traditional revenue sources and took advantage of opportunities in the region to help us meet our target,” she added.
Gregorio was the district collector of Port of Manila, one of the biggest and so-called “billionaires ports” of the Customs bureau, before she assumed the top post in San Fernando by midyear.
She was also the district collector of Port of Subic and served as head of the Interim Customs Accreditation and Registration Unit unit.
San Fernando is one of the Customs bureau’s 17 collection districts that remain committed in its drive to collect revenues and vigilant in its efforts to prevent smuggling and other fraudulent and illegal acts.
The agency is targeting to raise P677 billion for 2019.
Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero is optimistic the bureau would still be able to surpass its P593-billion revenue collections in 2018.
Customs officials said the agency has regained the trust and confidence of stakeholders, thus, its collections continue to rise in line with its fiscal and administrative policies.