THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is expected to implement a fine-tuned version of the Import Assessment System (IAS) at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and Port of Manila on October 12, 2009 (see related columns Across Borders and ITinerary).
The BOC late last week recommended to Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales the adoption of two adjustments pushed by the IAS technical working group (TWG): For shipping lines and consolidators to have different timelines in the submission of the advance inward foreign manifest (IFM), and for penalties on the late submission of IFM to be temporarily suspended.
The TWG comprises officials of the Port Users Confederation (PUC), Federation of Forwarders Association in the Philippines (FEDFAP), Philippine International Seafreight Forwarders Association (PISFA), Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc, Unisys, and port operators International Container Terminal Services, Inc and Asian Terminals, Inc.
Under the proposal, the BOC will require shipping lines to submit the IFM 12 hours prior to vessel arrival, as originally planned. For consolidators, the “zero-hour rule” will apply, meaning they may submit their manifest until vessel arrival.
It may be recalled that the IAS was first implemented at the MICP on August 17, 2009 but was suspended three days later due to numerous technical glitches. It was to have been re-implemented on September 14, 2009, only to be rescheduled again for October 12 upon appeal of the PUC, FEDFAP and PISFA at an open forum with Commissioner Morales.
The implementation of IAS covers lodgment through value-added service providers; the Client Profile Registration System (CPRS); Electronic Manifest System; clearance of Formal Entry System (Consumption and Warehousing); use of Payment Abstract Secure System version 5 (PASS 5); application of non-cash payments, consisting of Tax Exemption Certificates, Import Entry Declaration, Tax Debit Memos, Import Entry Declaration/Advanced Payment and Deferred Payment of Government Accounts through the e2m Payment System; On-Line Release System; and License and Clearance System involving government agencies that are ready to upload their licenses, clearances and other authorizations to the e2m Customs.
