THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected P165.39 billion for the first nine months of the year, 18% less than the target of P201.42 billion for the period.
Actual cash collections were also off by P32.05 billion to P144.2 billion while collections from the Tax Expenditure Fund from National Food Authority rice imports totaled P21.19 billion, P8.41 billion short of the goal.
The bureau collected P13.44 billion in duties and taxes from crude imports, or about half of the amount collected last year. Taxes from petroleum products hit P26.87 billion or 2% higher than last year.
Oil imports represent 70% of the bureau’s collection; non-oil items account for the rest.
In September alone, the BOC collected P18.3 billion compared to the P25.8 billion in the same month last year.
The Port of Manila (POM) saw the highest collection shortfall for the nine-month period, down 35% to P28.22 billion from its target of P43.63 billion.
The Manila International Container Port came next, posting a 12% deficit to P43.57 billion compared with its P49.65-billion goal.
The ports of Limay and Batangas were also off their targets by P5.1 billion to P15.35 billion and by P3.67 billion to P31.16 billion, respectively.
Joining the list of deficit ports were San Fernando, Iloilo, Tacloban, Surigao, and Cagayan de Oro.
Among the major collection districts, only Ninoy Aquino International Airport recorded a surplus of P794 million to P12.75 billion.
Legaspi, Cebu, Zamboanga, Davao, Subic Bay, Clark Field, and Aparri also managed to post a surplus.
In order to reach its full-year collection target, the BOC would have to collect P64.72 billion from October to December, a feat that would be hard to achieve, according to the bureau, considering the anemic trade conditions.
