IN LINE with the Marcos government’s thrust of making travel and transactions at the country’s airports safe and a convenient experience, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno announced the temporary suspension of the clearance scanning procedure for green lane passengers and the temporary suspension of the online tax and duty ‘calculator’ for goods shipped into the country from international trade platforms.
Comm. Nepomuceno announced the suspension of the green lane clearance scanning procedure during his ocular inspection at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last August 14.
Effective on that date, passengers in the ‘Green Lane’ will no longer be required to have their QR codes scanned.
On the other hand, travelers in the ‘Red Lane,’ including those with “Something to Declare” and those selected through random, reasonable, or intelligence-based assessments, will still be required to undergo QR code scanning and the standard customs clearance process.
Prior to this reform, arriving passengers are required to register through the eTravel app and accomplish the ‘Customs Declaration Form’ before arrival.
A QR code is then generated for all passengers, regardless of whether they have goods or currency to declare.
Upon arrival, passengers are directed to the appropriate lane: Green Lane for those with “Nothing to Declare” and Red Lane for those with “Something to Declare” or for passengers selected for inspection based on risk assessment.
Comm. Nepomuceno noted however the “feedback” from the traveling public regarding long queues at customs arrival areas.
During his media gaggle afterwards, Commissioner Nepomuceno said his leadership wants customs processes “to be both traveler-friendly and security-focused.”
“This initiative will help decongest arrival areas while ensuring that our enforcement responsibilities remain uncompromised,” he added.
Actress Bela Padilla profuse in thanking Customs Chief
As added initiative to ease the flow of the trade of goods passing thru the country’s airports, Comm. Nepomuceno also ordered the temporary suspension of the ‘Online Duty and Tax Calculator.’
This, after actress Bela Padilla questioned the sudden increase in the assessed taxes and duties that she had to pay the government after buying some cosmetics from abroad.
In her Twitter (X) account post on August 16, Padilla asked why she was suddenly assessed P4,600 in taxes, compared to her previous charges of only P1,650.
In her updated post on August 18, Padilla was this time profuse in thanking the Customs chief, in contrast to a similar situation she claimed to have experienced “a few years ago” when an unnamed customs official allegedly bullied her by starting with, ‘Di mo ba ko kilala?’
“Thank you, Mr. Nepomuceno, for being so kind in your explanations,” Padilla posted.
“We’re all expecting a lot from you because sadly, our experience with BOC in the past hasn’t been great.
“But I hope to see a change with you in the office now.”
In a separate statement, Nepomuceno said he ordered the temporary stop to the use of the calculator while “enhancements” in the system are being made.
“This action is in line with the directive of President Marcos for the Bureau of Customs to respond promptly and effectively to the concerns of the public.
“I apologize for any confusion this may have caused and thank the public for their feedback, which helps us serve better,” Commissioner Nepomuceno said.
The BOC also noted that the system only provides estimates and does not reflect all lawful charges required by law, including ‘hidden charges’ from the shipping agent, as was the case with Padilla.
In a separate post, Padilla acknowledged that the shipper, DHL, “added fees on top of the BOC computation even if I have free shipping.”
Comm. Nepomuceno also assured that moving forward, the BOC would also look into how shipping companies assessed the goods they are shipping to recipients.