NEW Philippine Customs commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon has a gargantuan task ahead of him. He has, among others, vowed to change the culture at the Bureau of Customs (BOC), a government agency perceived to be one of the most corrupt in the Philippines.
“Considering the extent of the public’s distrust, it is indeed a great challenge for us to recover from this condemnation. But for me, challenges are meant to be overcome, not avoided,” Biazon said.
The former Muntinlupa representative who replaced Angelito Alvarez — accused by some sectors of not having done enough to stamp out smuggling — said the new BOC leadership will embark on initiatives that require not just institutional but also personal change.
At the same time he promised to carry over effective policies of predecessors for continuity, conduct consultation with stakeholders and law enforcement agencies while continuing automation projects and plugging loopholes to boost revenue collection and stop corruption and smuggling.
The son of former senator and now Muntinlupa representative Rodolfo Biazon also vowed to clamp down on erring customs employees but act as cheerleader to others who do good work.
“While we intend to pursue those who are engaged in nefarious activities, we would like to encourage those who have remained true to their sworn duty and walked the straight path to continue the good work they do,” he said.
Biazon acknowledged he is under “great pressure” to meet collection targets.
From January to August, the BOC collected P171.14 billion against its target of P195.38 billion, bringing the agency’s eight-month deficit to P24.24 billion.
This year the national government has tasked BOC to collect a total of P320 billion.
“I shall work closely with our district collectors to get a frontline view of our performance on a regular basis, as well as the other units that contribute to our collection,” Biazon said.
Malacanang Photo Bureau
