BOC hosts launching of ‘NTRS’

IN support of the Marcos administration’s to further speed up trade facilitation and improve the country’s business environment, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) last July3 hosted the launching of the ‘National Time Release Study’ (NTRS) in partnership with the World Customs Organization (WCO).

The NTRS aims to measure the actual time it takes to clear and release shipments at the port, providing a data-driven approach to identify operational bottlenecks across Customs, trade regulatory agencies, and private sector stakeholders.

This study would help evidence-based reforms aimed at reducing delays, cutting trade costs, and improving transparency and predictability for importers and exporters with regard to the release and clearance process.

The rollout of the NTRS marks the beginning of a coordinated effort among the BOC, trade regulatory government agencies, and private sector stakeholders, with capacity-building support from the WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme funded by the United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

In his remarks, Department of Finance Undersecretary and Philippine Trade Facilitation Committee (PTFC) Chair Atty. Charlito Martin R. Mendoza stated that, “The NTRS helps us see what needs fixing; it removes the guesswork; it allows agencies to take concrete, data-driven action.

“We commend the Bureau of Customs for taking the lead. This is what the PTFC stands for: making fundamental reforms happen not through declarations but through design, not by isolated work but through collective commitment.”

BOC Deputy Commissioner, Internal Administration Group (IAG) Michael C. Fermin added: “With the transformation of our trade environment comes the imperative not only to move goods faster but also to build a system that is smarter, more transparent, and more responsive to the needs of our stakeholders.

“Today’s launch is a milestone, as it sends a strong message that we are serious in fulfilling our commitment under the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO-TFA).”

NTRS Technical Working Group Head and BOC-Port Operations Service Director Atty. Marlon Fritz Broto also emphasized the importance of the NTRS as a tool for collaborative diagnosis, accountability, and improvements essential to building a faster, more competitive, and more prosperous trading environment for all.