The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) remains confident it will meet the 2015 deadline to link the Philippine National Single Window (NSW) to the Asean Single Window.
“We can meet the 2015 deadline and I am confident that we will still be able to hook up,” Customs commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon said, despite delays in bidding for the P442-million NSW Phase II.
“Unlike before there was some cynicism due to experiences in earlier years, (NSW) is now gaining ground as (government) agencies involved are taking their own initiatives to have (NSW) incorporated into their system,” he said.
“Also, with so much interest from both local and foreign firms for NSW’s Phase II contract, it is just a matter of time now before we award a contract to the winning bidder.”
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is conducting the second round of bidding for Phase II, the first one declared a failure with bidders falling short of requirements.
One issue sticking out, however, is whether the DBM Bids and Awards Committee will allow foreign firms to bid on their own without a Filipino counterpart.
Out of 40 government agencies that need to be linked to the NSW, only the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) have plugged into the system. But their link is limited to electronic payment for import duties, taxes and fees through Bancnet-member banks. Settlement through Megalink-member banks will be allowed as soon as the banks comply with government requirements.
Aside from SRA and NTC, agencies that needs to hook up to the NSW are BOC, the Board of Investments, Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau of Export and Trade Promotion, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Bureau of Import Services, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Plant Industry, Bureau of Product Standards, Dangerous Drugs Board, Department of Health, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Environment Management Bureau, Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, Firearms and Explosives Office, Food and Drug Administration, Forest Management Bureau, Maritime Industry Authority, National Food Authority, National Meat Inspection Service, Optical Media Board, Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Philippine National Police, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, and Philippine Ozone Desk.
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