THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is pilot testing the systems of its three accredited value-added service providers (VASPs) for the second phase of the VASP program.
Customs deputy commissioner Alexander Arevalo, who is also chair of the VASP accreditation committee, said in an interview the bureau is fine tuning several aspects of Phase II, including registration forms and tax identification number requirements.
“To date, no VASP system has been accredited and approved for Phase II. We are still evaluating their system and expect to come out with results in the next couple of weeks,” Arevalo said.
“We are concentrating first on the implementation of other aspects of Phase I of our VASP program… before jumping to Phase II,” he added.
“Importers should wait for the final announcement from BOC before inking agreements with any of the VASPs for Phase II to avoid any conflicts in the future,” Arevalo said.
Phase II includes the processing of the client profile registration system (CPRS), electronic license and clearance system and the online release system.
Export sector
Once Phase II is complete, the BOC will begin using the VASPs also for the export sector, possibly by next month. This will include processing of automatic lodgment, raw material liquidation, and the bonds management system.
Earlier, VASPs Intercommerce Network Service (INS) and Cargo Data Exchange Center (CDEC) complained of competitor E-Konek Pilipinas which has been marketing its Phase II system even without BOC accreditation.
INS president Francis Lopez said BOC has authorized the presentation of the respective VASP systems to stake-holders only as a matter of information, but not the outright selling of the system.
He added there are still some problem areas vital to the implementation of the CPRS program which the BOC needs to address.
CDEC echoed INS’ sentiment, stressing the need for importers to wait for the final BOC announcement on Phase II before going into any service agreements with any of the VASPs.
E-Konek admitted to marketing its Phase II program even without BOC final approval because it is already pilot testing the system with the bureau anyway.
