Customs chief Ariel Nepomuceno (Politiko photo courtesy)
By Tracy Cabrera
PORT AREA, Manila — Despite rising inflation and the impact of the Middle East conflict triggered by American and Israeli attacks on Iran, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) recorded its second consecutive month of above-target collections, posting ₱73.798 billion in February—1.7 percent or ₱1.2 billion higher than its programmed goal of ₱72.592 billion.
According to BoC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, the amount collected is also 2.8 percent higher than the agency’s ₱71.765 billion revenue in February last year.
Noting that inflation has been rising for the third consecutive month, the Customs chief said, “The entire bureau was able to deliver more than the expected financial target for February… contrary to expectations that, during the month of the Chinese New Year, collections usually slow.”
He added, “But we proved—thanks to the efforts of everyone, especially our port collectors—that it can be done with proper assessment, stricter enforcement of rules, and the due diligence of our deputy commissioners, who continually push everyone to collect properly.”
For the first two months of the year, Customs revenue totaled ₱154.747 billion, up 2.5 percent or ₱3.729 billion compared to the same period last year. In 2025, the agency fell short of its revenue goal, collecting ₱934.4 billion against a ₱958.7-billion target, though still higher than 2024’s ₱916.674 billion.
“We will continue enhancing our systems and processes to sustain revenue growth and support the country’s fiscal stability and long-term development goals,” Nepomuceno said. He noted that he had met with port operators and maritime stakeholders to ensure port operations remain efficient through early coordination and shared planning.
He underscored that regular, open dialogue is critical to anticipating operational pressures, particularly during peak shipping periods, and to keeping systems and processes responsive.
elami/
