Can it Transform?

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The Bureau of Customs is one of the two largest revenue-collection agencies of the national government. But it operates under a dark cloud of suspicion, since those who deal with it invariably say that they are forced to agree to under-the-table deals with corrupt officials and employees for their shipments to be released.

 

Reforming the Customs bureau has been in the agenda of every administration for as long as we can remember. The latest effort to do this, through legislation, is not very promising. 

The Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) is among the priority bills of the Aquino administration. But the proposed measure is not moving fast. Last we checked, it is now pending at the plenary of the House of Representatives under House Bill No. 5525. A Senate counterpart, under Senate Bill No. 168, is also pending before the Ways and Means Committee.

So there's a clamor for drastic reform of the Customs bureau not only from local businessmen but also foreign entrepreneurs doing  business here.

Members of the Joint Foreign Chambers are urging the Senate and the House to immediately pass the CMTA as they say this would make the country’s customs administration respected globally for its honesty and efficiency.

 “In today’s fast-changing global economy, the Philippines must modernize its customs administration to keep up with changing international standards, to make customs valuation and inspection procedures more transparent and predictable, and to implement automated procedures,” the JFC said. 

Modernizing Customs, it is believed, would make Philippine agriculture and industry competitive in foreign markets especially with the integration of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) by the end of this year.

We agree completely. Customs reform is imperative since big-time smuggling appears to be going on despite the Aquino government's mantra of the daang matuwid or straight path. 

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