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About Us

VISION

A customs administration which is among the world's best that every Filipino can be proud of.

MISSION

MANDATES

The Bureau of Customs (BOC), which is under the auspices of the Department of Finance (DOF), is mandated to implement an effective revenue collection, prevent and suppress smuggling and entry of prohibited imported goods, supervise and control over the entrance and clearance of vessels and aircrafts and engaged in foreign commerce, and the enforcement of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines and all other laws, rules and regulations related to tariff and customs administration.

STRATEGIC GOALS

BOC's strategic thrusts are:
On February 6, 1902, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 355, "The Philippine Customs Administrative Act.�? Patterned after the principles of the customs administration laws of the United States, this act created the customs service of the Philippines whose function was to collect all the revenue warranted by law.

On March 3, 1902, the Commission passed Act No. 367 mandating the organization of the personnel of the Philippine Customs Service and thereby gave uniformity to classification, grades, and qualifications of customs officials and employees.

Years later, graft and corruption slowly deprived the government of millions of pesos in revenue, giving the country a bad name abroad. In October 4, 1947, an Executive Order signed by then President Manuel Roxas effected the reorganization of seven government offices, including the Bureau of Customs (BOC). The BOC head was given a new tide, Commissioner of Customs instead of the former tide Insular Collector of Customs. It abolished the position of Deputy Insular Collector of Customs and in its place was created the position of Collector of Customs for the Port of Manila.

The BOC has a daunting challenge to face with the expeditious' advances of technology and competition borne by globalization, not to mention, the dictates in the general conduct of businesses, individual travels, and consumer demands by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and the Asean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA).

These and the other complex problems posed by the growing sophistication of criminal syndicates, which also have gone global, smuggling, drug trafficking, money laundering, and movements of prohibited cargoes which require a more responsive enforcement system, are the heavy burdens BOC has to bear.

The on-line system---to process clearance of imports, payment of duty, and delivery of release orders for shipments to leave the docks---has lessened the cost of trade for businesses, reduced opportunities for fraud, and helped the Bureau to maximize revenue collection.

The Bureau of Customs continues to occupy a strategic position and today has the crucial role of providing 18 percent of the country's revenue. In the wake of the country's high budget deficit, this is indeed an important consideration in the management of national economy and we are confident that in no time, it can deliver the much-needed collection into the government's coffers.

In every human endeavor, there is an inherent "human factor" that at some point and time in the course of duty must take action according to their wisdom, understanding, and judgment. Thus, the best assurance against graft and corruption is a fair playing field which includes a team of fairly treated well-paid men and women assured of secure employment. Hopefully, the BOC will able to fulfill its potentials - a major revenue- collecting agency of the government and bring in the funds that will enable it to take giant steps to poverty alleviation.