BOC surpasses 2022 target this early

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has already surpassed its collection target for 2022 with still one month and two weeks to go before the end of the fiscal year.

BOC acting commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz, quoting from the report of the Financial Service, said that as of November 11, 2022, the agency has already garnered P745.50 billion for a positive deviation of 3.27 percent equivalent to P23.98 billion from its assigned target of P721.52 billion.

The preliminary report also disclosed that all of the agency’s 17 collection districts again surpassed their assigned targets, similar to their performance in August, the first full month of Ruiz as customs commissioner.

Collectively, the collection districts garnered a surplus of P103.29 billion for a 16.8 positive deviation.

“This year’s revenue collection performance historically marks the highest revenue collection of the agency,” Ruiz noted, referring to the agency’s collection performance since it was established 120 years ago as a national revenue collecting agency.

The early surpassing of the BOC’s annual target has been considered as a ‘matter of time.’

As of October, the agency is just already P7.22 billion short of its annual target, after collecting a surplus of P11.8 billion from its assigned target of P63.7 billion and pushing the cumulative collection since January to P714.3 billion.

For the remainder of the year, the BOC is also expected to surpass its remaining target collection of P59.338 billion and P59.392 billion for November and December, respectively.

In his brief statement, Ruiz also thanked the men and women of the agency for their “continuous hard work” even as he assured them that he would provide his “unequivocal support.”

Re-shuffle shakes up BOC execs

Meanwhile, Department of Finance (DOF) secretary, Benjamin Diokno, has approved the reshuffling of some key collection district collectors as proposed by Ruiz. Returning to her post as Port of Cebu district collector, Atty. Elvira Cruz, who has had a ‘misunderstanding’ with then Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero that even ended up in court and with Cruz ending up as district collector at the Port of Cagayan de Oro.

Replacing Cruz at the CDO is erstwhile Port of Clark district collector Alexandra Lumontad, who was briefly relieved of her post and transferred at the Office of the Commissioner.

Lumontad has been replaced by Coll. John Simon.

Atty. Charlito Martin Mendoza, the Cebu district collector, has been relieved of his post to give way to Cruz and has been transferred to the Revenue Collection Monitoring Group (RCMG) under deputy commissioner Atty. Vener Baquiran.

Florante Ricarte, Supervising Customs Operations Officer who has been ‘cooling his heels’ after being relieved for several months is now back as the deputy collector for assessment at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

Ricarte would be replacing Atty. Felipe Geoffrey de Vera, Collector IV, who has been transferred as the deputy collector for assessment at the Port of Clark.

De Vera replaced Atty. Danilo Ballena who has been transferred as the deputy collector for passenger service, Port of Clark.

Atty. Marlon Agaceta, the chief of the Law Division, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), is now the deputy collector for administration, MICP, replacing Atty. Jesus Balmores who has been designated as the new chief, Administrative Division, MICP.

Agaceta is replaced by Atty. Danilo Campos, erstwhile chief of the Auction and Cargo Disposal Division (ACDD), NAIA.

Under Customs Personnel Order (CPO) B-144-2022 dated October 18, 2022, Alexander ‘Alex’ Go, Chief Customs Operations Officer at the Office of the District Collector, Port of Manila (POM), is designated as the deputy collector for operations, MICP.

However, under Customs Personnel Order (CPO) B-143-2022  of the same date, Ruiz also designated Atty. Kriden Balgomera, acting director, Planning and Systems Development Service, Management Information System Group (MISTG), as deputy collector for operations, MICP.

Atty. Rey Roland Bergado, same rank as Go, has been moved to the post of Chief, Informal Entry Division (IED), MICP.

Bergado swapped places with Bienvenido Entico, COO V, who is now the Chief, Formal Entry Division (FED), MICP.

Collector 1 Vincent Villanueva, deputy collector for assessment at the Port of Limay has been promoted as Port Collector, Subport of Ozamis, CDO collection district.

Villanueva would be replacing Ozamis officer-in-charge, Alma Balcita, who has been transferred at the MICP with no specific assignment.

At the frontline level, Cesar David Montemayor, assistant chief, IED-POM, has been moved as Chief of Section 1B, FED-POM. The section is considered as one of the most “juicy positions” at the FED as it involves the processing and clearance of agricultural products.

Luz M. Ugot, Chief, Express Cargo Clearance Facility, NAIA, has been assigned as Chief, DHL Composite Unit. Her position is to be assumed by Gil Calixihan, COO V.

Meanwhile Rhoan Escarmosa, COO3, has been transferred from the IED-MICP, to the Office of the Commissioner.