The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has extended by four weeks the no-penalty period for the late submission of electronic air freight manifests. This came after an initial seven-day no-penalty period covering May 11 to 18.
The electronic submission of airfreight manifests via value-added service providers in all Philippine airports is mandated under Customs Memorandum Order No. 10-2015. The policy was to have been fully implemented on May 11. Right before implementation though, Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina waived the penalty provision for seven days to make up for the fact that the policy did not undergo pilot testing.
The extended waiver took effect on May 18, the same day that the BOC, together with stakeholders, evaluated the first seven days of implementation of CMO 10-2015, according to Leo Morada, chief executive officer of BOC-accredited VASP Cargo Data Exchange Center.
During the first two weeks of the extended no-penalty period, concerns revolving around the electronic inward foreign manifest (e-IFM) submitted by airlines will be addressed, said Morada. Under CMO 10-2015, the submission of the e-IFM comes before the electronic consolidated cargo manifest submitted by forwarders and consolidators.
Over the four-week no-penalty period, the manifest will also still be on switch-off mode, which allows lodgment of entries even if the airwaybill (AWB) is not yet existing in the electronic-to-mobile system of BOC. The cargo will not be released though until availability of the AWB in the e2m. – Roumina Pablo
Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
