The Bureau of Customs collected P45.398 billion in import duties and other taxes in March 2018, exceeding the goal for the month by P265 million.
Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said that despite the failure of five ports to meet their respective targets, the bureau still managed to perform well above its expectation by increasing its collection by 0.6 percent.
“Based on the initial report from the BOC Financial Service, a total of P45.398 billion revenue was collected, exceeding the P45.133 billion target for the month of March by P265 million,” Lapeña said.
Data showed that despite the two non-working holidays in March, majority or 12 ports maintained and exceeded their revenue collection for the month, and these are Port of Batangas, which collected P11.542 billion in revenue, 10.5 percent up against the P10.449 billion target; Port of Limay collected P2.896 billion in revenue, 5.5 percent up against the P2.746 billion target; Port of Cebu collected P2.189 billion in revenue, 7.6 percent up against the P2.034 billion target; Davao collected P1.755 billion in revenue, 21.1 percent up against the P1.449 billion target; Port of Subic collected P1.655 billion in revenue, 1.9 percent up against the P1.624 billion target.
Other ports that met its collection targets are Port of Cagayan de Oro with 1.625 billion in revenue, 27.4 percent up against the P1.275 billion target; San Fernando, P278 million in revenue, 13 percent up against the P247 million target; Clark collected P154 million in revenue, 29.8 percent up against the P119 million target; Tacloban earned P68 million in revenue, 241.6 percent up against the P20 million target; Legaspi amassed P22.10 million in revenue, 0.5 percent up against the P22 million target; Surigao collected P4 million in revenue, 262.7 percent up against the P1 million target; and Aparri earnedd P6 million in revenue, 37.5 percent up against the P4 million target.
This year’s collection is P7.286 billion or 19.1 percent higher compared to the P38.11 billion collection in the same period last year.
Lapeña said the ports which failed to hit the target are the following: Manila – which collected P5.776 billion in revenue, 14.9 percent lower than the P6.785 billion target; Manila International Container Port collected P12.625 billion in revenue, 9.28 percent lower than the P13.917 billion target; Ninoy Aquino International Airport earned P3.094 billion in revenue, 25.9 percent lower than the P4.175 billion target; Iloilo garnered P176 million in revenue, 27.8 percent lower than the P244 million target; and Zamboanga collected P700,000 in revenue, 96 percent lower than the P21 million target.
While these ports did not meet the target, Lapeña still recognized their contributions to the overall revenue collection of the agency.
However, Lapeña said the district collectors of these ports and others concerned will be eventually replaced in compliance with the earlier directive that district collectors, deputy collectors for assessment, chief of Formal Entry Division, examiners, appraisers, and other BoC personnel performing assessment functions will be relieved.
Lapeña commended all the top performing ports and encouraged all ports to be on board and double its collection efforts to hit the target until end of the year.
