The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) have issued clarifications on the use of the General Transportation and Surety Bond (GTSB) under an order that will require electronic processing of transhipment entries by PEZA locators starting on June 4.
The clarification follows the issuance of BOC-PEZA Joint Memorandum Order (JMO) No. 01-2015, dated March 16, 2015, which mandates that PEZA locators file their transhipment entries through BOC’s electronic-to-mobile (e2m) system using value-added service providers (VASPs).
Signed by PEZA director general Lilia de Lima and Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina and dated May 26, the clarification zeroes in on Section 7 of JMO 01-2015.
It said there is no need to course the Single Administrative Document (SAD), which uses the GTSB as security, through the BOC Bonds Division for “charging/debiting” in order to have the transhipment permit approved.
Unnecessary too is the “plow-back or crediting to the GTSB of the duties and taxes after goods shall have been duly received at the destination zone and the transhipment process completed.”
AOCG memo
These issues were also reiterated by Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group (AOCG) Memorandum No. 006-2015 signed by deputy commissioner Atty Agaton Uvero and issued on May 29, which provides interim guidelines pending further amendments to JMO 01-2015.
The memo said the requirements for the approval of the GTSB by the BOC Bonds Division of the concerned collection district are the GTSB; official receipt; computation submitted by the importer/broker; and affidavit of undertaking.
The AOCG memo said the GTSB “valid for a calendar or fiscal year shall be applicable without need for ‘charging/debiting’ or liquidation by the Bonds Division or other customs office as a condition for the approval of the transhipment. For year 2015, PEZA locators may be allowed to secure additional bond but only for difference of the required bond against the existing valid GTSBs.”
If the e2m server is down, “locators have the option, when processing manually, to submit the TSAD (transit SAD) printout in lieu of the CEWE (Customs- EPZA Warehousing Entry) and transhipment permit as provided under Section 10 of BOC-PEZA JMO 01-2015,” the memo said.
During a May 26 forum on PEZA transhipments jointly organized by the Philippine International Seafreight Forwarders Association and PortCalls at the Manila Hotel, Uvero noted that the GTSB is a “one-time” fund valid for the calendar year, and that there is no need for bonds liquidation since no “debit/credit” occurred. The bond will not be touched as long as the shipment arrives at the PEZA zone, he said.
One of the forum panelists, Joy Dave of BOC- and PEZA-accredited VASP E-Konek, said those who bought P50 million worth of GTSBs can negotiate with their insurance company, since the bond face value required under JMO 01-2015 is at P1 million, or the dutiable value of imports in the last three months at the port of discharge times 1/3 times 1.4%, whichever is higher.
On the required PEZA seal and underguarding, Uvero said BOC is in discussions with PEZA for an alternative to sealing non-containerized cargoes.
Moreover, an issuance will soon be made addressing bonds that cover several shipments to different PEZA zones, since this means the seal will already have been opened at the first zone.
As for irregular shipments, such as capital equipment, it has been proposed they be dealt with on a case-to-case basis and a recommendation from PEZA be produced to allow a lower amount of bond.
Uvero said the automation of processing of transhipment entries will soon be extended to freeport zones.
He also asked forwarders and customs brokers to try using e2m for their transhipments to become familiar with the system before its activation on June 4.
The link between the BOC and PEZA systems was previously hampered by lack of equipment for BOC personnel stationed in PEZA zones. Uvero said BOC recently bought 1,000 computers, most of which have been deployed at PEZA zones.
PEZA deputy director general for Operations Mary Harriet Abordo, who attended the May 26 forum, said the linkup means less face-to-face interaction and therefore less opportunity for corruption. – Roumina Pablo
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