The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it has surpassed its revenue collection target for 2023 of P874.166 billion by 1.08 percent, or P9.459 billion.
This presents a 2.46 percent (P21.205 billion) increase compared to 2022’s revenue collection of P862.419 billion.
The agency attributed the increase to its digitalization efforts, saying it has so far digitalized 161 out of 166 customs processes, garnering a 96.99-percent digitalization rate.
The One-Stop Electronic Travel Declaration System (E-Travel System) in collaboration with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) was launched on November 21, 2023 to allow travelers and crew members to declare dutiable goods prior to their arrival.
Meanwhile, the Overstaying Cargo Tracking System provides data on disposition activities, such as auction, condemnation, or donation of all overstaying containers in all ports.
The BOC also introduced the National Customs Intelligence System (NCIS) on December 13, 2023, a website that gathers intelligence data from various sources to enable informed decision-making analysis and more responsive policies.
The agency said several initiatives in the pipeline include the BOC e-Pay Portal System, the e-Auction System, and the Automated Export Declaration System (AEDS).
The modernization initiatives have driven the Philippines to rank second-best among Asean member states in the 2023 United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation, scoring 87.10 percent, the BOC said.
The BOC also said it earned recognition from the Singapore Customs and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for its effort to promote and implement the Asean Single Window and the Electronic Phytosanitary (e-Phyto) Certificate System.
A data-sharing agreement was also signed by the BOC with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) on September 5, 2023 to elevate trade and economic zones efficiency.
The agreement will allow PEZA to access the BOC’s Electronic Tracking of Containerized Cargo (E-TRACC) System data, enabling real-time monitoring of containerized goods and individuals within and outside economic zones.
