Customs chief targets influence peddlers
By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star) Updated July 12, 2010 12:00 AM
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MANILA, Philippines - Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez has vowed to look into the country’s port
operations while issuing a stern warning against name-droppers and influence peddlers at the waterfront.
Alvarez said he will investigate operations at the Manila International Container Port to find out why it failed to
meet its collection target although 12 of the 17 ports under the agency’s supervision were able to post
collection surpluses.
He said the MICP collected only P27.62 billion for the first half of the year as against its target of P28.06
billion.
The Customs chief said the MICP was one of only five ports that failed to meet its quota.
Alvarez lauded Customs officials at the ports of Manila, Batangas and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
for helping the agency surpass its P111.07-billion target by P7.34 billion after collecting P118.41 billion from
Jan. 1 to June 16.
But the MICP and the ports of Limay, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga and Clark failed to meet their targets.
Port officials, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, said the collection shortfall may be due to the
fact that smugglers connected to the previous administration might have doubled their shipments prior to
the elections.
Alvarez said he has ordered officials to probe claims that smuggling was rampant at the MICP during that
period because smugglers had an easier time processing their contraband at the port.
The Customs chief said there will be no preferential treatment for companies operating at the waterfront
particularly because he used to be president of the freight-forwarding company Airfreight 21 Inc.
“In fact, since I am closely associated with Air21 and FedEx, this preferential treatment will even be
disadvantageous to these companies because all eyes will be on them, on us,” he said. “If I give preferential
treatment to these two companies, I’m sure the industry would create a big howl so it will be a disadvantage
for them.”
But Alvarez said he is confident the bureau will meet its annual collection target of P280 billion for the year,
vowing to step up efforts to curb smuggling, professionalize the ranks and bring in his expertise as an
auditor to plug leaks.
The BOC chief said barely three days after he was sworn in as commissioner, he already received reports
that unscrupulous persons have started making the rounds of Customs stakeholders to inform them that
they are well-connected with people in the new administration.
Meanwhile, Customs employees, through BOC Employees Association president, Romulo Pagulayan said
they are ready for a “principled collaboration” with Alvarez to help him attain the agency’s revenue target of
P280 billion this year.
“We take cognizance of Commissioner Alvarez’s pronouncement that he would attend to the needs and
welfare of the rank and file and on that note, he can expect our full cooperation,” said Pagulayan, a customs
officer (COO) V assigned at the agency’s X-Ray Unit.
Pagulayan also called for a ceasefire on negative publicity against their new commissioner.
“It is very early in the day to engage in mudslinging and political hatchet jobs. Let us give Commissioner
Alvarez the break that he needs,” he added.
Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima has instructed Alvarez to exert effort to meet the agency’s revenue target
by plugging tax leakage and unmasking smugglers.
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