The total number of importers and customs brokers on the active list of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) as of June 2 has grown to 13,279, a 3.7% increase from the 12,810 reported in February.
The latest figure represents 88.6% of the overall 14,995 importers and customs brokers on BOC’s list as of Feb last year. The list is a mix of provisional and regular accreditations.
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Of the total accredited, 11,894 are importers, including Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)-accredited consignees, 4% higher than the 11,478 importers accredited as of Feb 5.
Accredited customs brokers also increased in number by 4% to 1,385 from the 1,332 listed last February.
Based on a Department of Finance (DOF) ruling in Feb 2014, all importers and customs brokers wanting to transact with BOC must undergo a two-tier accreditation process. This requires them to first secure either an Importer’s Clearance Certificate or a Broker’s Clearance Certificate from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) before securing accreditation with the customs agency.
BOC recently issued a memorandum automatically accrediting PEZA firms upon payment of the P1,000 accreditation fee and submission of a copy of their Client Profile Registration System (CPRS) certificate of registration.
BIR, for its part, has amended and reduced its documentary requirements. The agency also plans to automate the accreditation process for importers and customs brokers. The latest count from BIR recorded 14,820 applications received by its Accounts Receivable Management Division since October 2014. Of this, 9,000 had been processed, of which 2,000 had been given regular ICCs and BCCs and the rest a provisional accreditation.
Meanwhile, BOC said that as of June 5, it has approved 1,294 importers with incomplete CPRS application. Of those approved, 708 importers have no “stored” status in their CPRS, while 586 importers have discrepancies in their CPRS.
In a separate list, BOC noted these accreditation applications were approved from October 2014 to June 5.
CPRS is a module of BOC’s electronic-to-mobile system that facilitates the automated capture of client information during accreditation or registration by various BOC stakeholders. Transactions cannot be processed unless the client is registered with the CPRS.
BOC-Account Management Office (AMO) chief Atty. Jemina Flores said importers just need to re-lodge their CPRS and submit it to AMO to address the discrepancy and no-stored status. Effective May 27, expiring CPRS in order to be reactivated should be re-submitted every year as mandated by Customs Memorandum No. 11-2014. – Roumina Pablo
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