ALVAREZ NAMED NEW COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS COMMISSIONER
President Aquino recently appointed Angelito A. Alvarez, age 52, as the new Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), replacing Napoleon L. Morales.
Alvarez was sworn in on July 7, 2010 by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima at the Department of Finance office to head the 2nd largest income generating agency of the country.
Turn-over ceremony was held at BOC Social Hall at the Port of Manila attended by bureau officials and employees with representatives from the private sector welcoming Alvarez to his new assignment.
Alvarez took his oath of office before President Aquino in Malacaņang on Thursday, July 8.
With his new post, Alvarez quit as chairman of the Philippine Basketball Association and as manager of the basketball team Air21, a trade name of Airfreight 2100, a company headed by former Customs Commissioner Bert Lina where Alvarez also serves as president.
A graduate of Far Eastern University and a certified public accountant by profession, Alvarez worked for five years with SGV before moving to Advanced Micro Devices as an accounting manager. He then spent two decades with the Lina Group of Companies (LGC) as, until recently, president of Air 21, the sole licensee of Fedex in the Philippines.
Asked about the magnitude of his task as BOC Commissioner, Alvarez was confident he could bring his private expertise to handle the job well. "I have as an advantage having worked with Mr. Lina, Secretary Purisima, and former BIR Commissioner Willie Parayno and I have been properly trained by two former BOC Commissioners and educated early on Customs matters."
The new BOC chief said he is aiming to improve the image of his office. "It needs transformation and we have to address the issue of its image. And I also hope to create a productive working environment, better salaries and benefits, in order to be able to render quality service and boost revenue collection." Alvarez said.
A family man with wife Maria Vilma, they are blessed with four sons and two daughters.
A former chief of the Air Force and retired major general Ramon Farolan Jr., who served as customs commissioner in the Marcos and Estrada administrations believe Alvarez is highly qualified and will be asset to the BOC. "He is a good man, and I think his work experience in the past will serve him well in the new position."
Please refer to:
BOC Public Information and Assistance Division (PIAD)
