COLLECTIONS by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) rose 13% year-on-year in September on growing import volumes as well as an enhanced ability to tax due to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law and the Rice Tariffication Law.

The BoC said in a statement Thursday that September collections totaled P59.209 billion, compared with P52.42 billion a year earlier, based on preliminary data compiled by the bureau’s Statistical Analysis Division (SAD).

“According to SAD, growth in revenue collection last month was due to increase in the volume of imports, higher collections as a result of the (TRAIN) Law, Rice Tariffication Law and the National Food Authority (NFA) tax expenditure collection,” the BoC said.

Earlier, the BoC reported that its running total for the year was P477.522 billion in the nine months to September, up 9.24% from a year earlier.

The two BoC stations that reported the highest collections were the Port of Batangas and the Manila International Container Port, collecting P15.514 billion and P14.634 billion, respectively. However, the two missed their targets for the month, the BoC said.

Of the 17 collection districts, the BoC reported that nine exceeded their targets for the month, led by the Ports of Limay, Cagayan de Oro and Subic with total collections of P5.065 billion, P3.197 billion and P3.107 billion, respectively.

Also on target were the Ports of San Fernando, La Union (P333.25 million), Iloilo (P257.38 million), Tacloban (P145 million), Surigao (P4 million), Zamboanga (P26.81 million) and Aparri (P13.53 million).

Ports that missed their targets were the Manila (P5.667 billion), Ninoy Aquino International Airport (P3.745 billion), Cebu (P2.598 billion), Davao (P1.997 billion), Legaspi (P13.56 million) and Clark (P187.83 million).

In a separate statement, Customs said that it will begin the full implementation of its World Customs Organization (WCO) Cargo Targeting System (CTS) in the third week of October which will increase its ability to profile and target high-risk cargoes.

It said that CTS will be used to develop advanced profiling of shipments still overseas through data provided by shipping lines and airlines.

Foreign vessels and aircraft or their agents will have to transmit in advance information on their cargos electronically, after which the data will be subject to profiling and assessment, including for terrorism and criminal risk.

“As provided by the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), BoC will be requiring shipping lines to comply with mandated timelines for the submission of manifests through the CTS,” the BoC said.

BoC completed its pilot testing of the system on Oct. 2. — Beatrice M. Laforga

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