CUSTOMS brokers servicing Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) locators may now use a single account to pay for PEZA import permit (IP) processing fees of multiple client importers.
The old practice required separate single accounts for each PEZA locator-client.
Under PEZA memorandum order 2008-004 dated October 29, 2008, brokers authorized by economic zone export-producers and IT enterprises to secure electronic import permits (e-IPs) for their tax and duty-free importations may establish e-IP pre-payment accounts (PPA) to be used for paying the PEZA e-IP processing fees.
A broker may establish a PPA with any or all PEZA-accredited value-added solutions providers (VASPs) by submitting a unique account name and two e-mail addresses where e-IPS generated e-mail messages will be sent to.
Initial deposits in the PPA, with a minimum P20,000, whether paid in cash or check, should be made only at the PEZA cashier main office. Check payments will be subject to the usual clearing before being accredited to the PPA.
A fund replenishment alert message will be sent to the two email addresses designated by the broker when the minimum account balance equivalent to 30% of the initial deposit is reached.
Once complied with, a broker will be issued a PEZA official receipt for every deposit and the amount deposited shall be encoded in the pre-payment system of the VASP where the broker established the PPA.
Bureau of Customs-accredited VASP InterCommerce Network Services (INS) said its single account system facilitates monitoring of advances for IP fees.
“We have successfully tested our system with our client/authorized customs broker servicing more than 20 PEZA locators, and have complied with the reports needed by PEZA for the reconciliation of e-IP transactions and the corresponding collection of e-IP fees,” INS president Francis Lopez said.
