Monday, January 28, 2013

Customs Broker’s Lounge Operationalized

An electronic system of monitoring the status of shipments through the Broker’s Lounge installed at the Port of Manila (POM) and the Manila International Container Port (MICP) became operational last Monday, January 14, 2013.
This is a step further in the computerization program of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) assuring the integrity, security and smoother flow of work in the processing of entry documents.
The electronic monitoring system, to be pilot tested at the POM and MICP and replicated later in other major ports, will display among others the following information:  Entry Number, Status Section Number, Time and Remarks.
Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon has instructed the district collectors concerned to provide a kiosk for stakeholders where they could check the status of their entries in case a particular entry number is not displayed in the monitor.
Overcrowding and disorderly conduct of transactions has long been a problem in the country’s major ports where hundreds daily elbow their way to have their shipments promptly attended to, at times resulting to much delay when papers get misplaced or lost.
 For security purposes and to maintain order in the workplace, the brokers and all other stakeholders are now prohibited from entering the premises of the Formal Entry Division to follow up their shipment.
 No less than President Aquino witnessed the inauguration of the Broker’s Lounge when he graced the 110th Anniversary Celebration of the Bureau of Customs Feb. 6 last year.
In his report to the President, Commissioner Biazon took the occasion to defend the reform measures he has instituted, saying he believes that in order for the bureau to achieve a state where revenue leakages are greatly reduced if not completely plugged, systems and processes need to be streamlined and automated.
“Eradicating red tape, cutting down the number of steps in the processes and reducing the opportunities for human intervention to the barest minimum are our objectives in line with the vision to see a  Bureau of Customs not only as a world class Customs administration that Filipinos can be proud of, but one that the People can trust,” Biazon said.
Speaking extemporaneously during the occasion, President Aquino underscored the importance of having an efficient and morally upright BOC in nation building.  Thus, the need for reforms in the Bureau of Customs.

-- BOC 25 January 2013

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