The Bureau of Customs (BOC) posted revenues of P58.902 billion in September 2019, an increase of 12.4% from the P52.420 billion earned in the same month last year.
In an email to PortCalls, BOC said the increase was due to greater volume of importation, higher collection as a result of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law and the Rice Tariffication Law, and the National Food Authority tax expenditure collection.
For the period, Batangas port collected the highest revenue with P15.514 billion, preliminary data from BOC’s Statistical Analysis Division showed. Usual top earner Manila International Container Port earned P14.634 billion, followed by the Port of Manila with P5.667 billion and Limay port with P5.065 billion.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport took in P3.745 billion, followed by Cagayan De Oro with P3.197 billion; Subic with P3.107 billion; Cebu with P2.598 billion; and Davao with P1.997 billion.
The Port of San Fernando collected P333.25 million; Iloilo, P257.38 million; Clark, P187.83 million; Tacloban, P145.30 million; Zamboanga, P26.81 million; Legazpi, P13.56 million; Aparri, P13.53 million; and Surigao, P3.98 million.
For the period January to September 2019, BOC has already collected P477.522 billion, up 9.2% compared to P437.130 billion in revenue collected in the same period last year.
BOC now has to collect only P199.478 billion for the last quarter of the year, or at least P66.5 billion per month, to hit its P677-billion annual revenue target.
Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero earlier said hitting the target was doable with the strict implementation of customs rules and regulations; correct valuation/assessment of commodities and taxes due; streamlining of processes and enhancement of computer systems to facilitate trade and eliminate opportunities for corruption; daily monitoring and close supervision of collection; and strict enforcement of border control measures to eradicate smuggling and boost revenue collection.
