AEDS Lodgments In Seaports
As of 8 June, electronic lodgments under the Philippine Bureau of Customs’ electronic-to-mobile Automated Export Declaration System Single Administrative Document (AEDS SAD) slowly started in seven ports. These are in Manila International Container Port (MICP), Cebu, Surigao, Bislig sub-port, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and sub-port of Tagoloan/Phividec.
The transaction volume is still small compared to the total number of manually prepared export declarations but I hope this development portends well for the AEDS whose implementation in all seaports fully starts this week.
At the same time, various stakeholders’ briefings continue to be undertaken. Last week alone, three exporter stakeholder briefings were conducted by the Bureau of Customs in Zamboanga, Davao and General Santos. PHILEXPORT also conducted a separate seminar in Cagayan de Oro which was attended by exporters from the CARAGA Administrative Region.
How About NAIA?
Over at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, some exporters lodged electronic AEDS which were successfully accepted by the e2m system. Unfortunately, these were not used for export processing by the NAIA Export Division. In this connection, some exporter stakeholders requested BOC to issue new policy guidelines that will allow them to lodge electronic export declarations well ahead of the target 01 August mandatory AEDS implementation in NAIA.
PEZA AEDS Mandatory Implementation In Mindanao
Now that the e2m AEDS is slowly gaining momentum in Mindanao ports, Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s own AEDS implementation is expected to follow soon. PEZA-registered export enterprises in Davao, Cagayan de Oro and General Santos were already notified by the PEZA head office that a PEZA team will be onsite Mindanao starting this week to launch preparations leading to mandatory PEZA AEDS implementation.
Will PEZA AEDS Be Integrated Into e2m AEDS?
This is the next important development to watch out for. Insofar as BOC is concerned, there is only one export system – e2m AEDS. As of now our information is that PEZA export enterprises are now receiving instructions from PEZA to prepare for data integrations into e2m AEDS.
Leo V. Morada is a domain expert on IT applications in Philippine port operations with 25 years’ senior IT management experience implementing technology solutions in port operations, electronic transactions with customs & port authority, and port community system applications. He is CEO of Cargo Data Exchange Center, Inc, a customs-accredited Value Added Service Provider. He can be contacted at lmorada3f1@yahoo.com.