The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) is fast-tracking the promotion and hiring of new personnel to fill around 3,000 vacant plantilla positions as a way to improve service and deter corruption.
Customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña in a press conference on September 20 said the second wave of personnel promotion has been approved following the promotion of 587 personnel in his first week in office.
Lapeña said around 3,000 vacant plantilla positions are being filled to also address the issue of several customs employees having to do two or even three jobs simultaneously.
The new customs chief said filling these positions will improve the efficiency of personnel and facilitate customs processes, as stakeholders have been asking for better service.
He added that delays due to the shortage of employees can result in corruption. He said that even if a BOC employee does not ask for money, stakeholders wanting to fast-track the release of shipment may attempt to bribe them.
To assure that the new hires will not succumb to corruption, Lapeña said they will have to go through the Customs Academy for training and character development before becoming permanent employees.
In an earlier statement, BOC said the Customs Academy’s curriculum includes 50% character building and 25% each for capacity and capability development.
Lapeña said the Customs Academy, a project of his predecessor Alberto Lina, will hopefully start by October or November in time for BOC’s hiring. New hires must undergo training in the Academy for two or three months under probationary status before they can become permanent employees.
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