FOLLOWING the instruction from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to accelerate digitalization across government services, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) announced the launching of the Electronic Payment Portal (ePay) System as part of its continuing digital transformation initiatives.
The ePay System is a secure digital payment platform designed to facilitate the collection of miscellaneous payments, customs duties and taxes for non-E2M transactions, and other authorized charges.
It specifically covers payments arising from manually processed Goods Declarations under the informal entry procedure, addressing a critical segment of transactions not yet covered by automated customs systems.
“Under the leadership of Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, the Bureau continues to advance targeted digital reforms aimed at improving operational efficiency while ensuring the integrity of customs processes,” the agency said in a statement.
“By digitalizing the payment process for these transactions, the BOC strengthens revenue monitoring, improves audit trails, and minimizes manual intervention, thereby promoting transparency, accuracy, and accountability in customs collections,” it added.
The ePay System is integrated with Landbank’s Link.BizPortal, serving as a centralized payment gateway that enables electronic settlement through authorized payment channels.
This integration reduces reliance on physical payment processes, limits face-to-face transactions, and supports inter-agency system interoperability.
The BOC encourages importers, exporters, licensed customs brokers, and other stakeholders engaged in applicable transactions to utilize the ePay System.
Comprehensive user guidelines and step-by-step instructional materials are available on the official BOC website to facilitate adoption and ensure proper system use.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to make customs services simpler and more convenient for our stakeholders,” Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.
“By expanding digital payment options through the ePay System, we are reducing unnecessary delays, limiting manual processes, and ensuring that every transaction is handled with greater transparency and accountability.
“This is about making the system work better for the public while safeguarding government revenue,” he explained further.