MANILA, (PNA) — President Benigno S. Aquino said drastic shifts in the Bureau of Customs (BoC) leadership, personnel, and processes are already in place, as a result of the administration’s comprehensive reform agenda.
In his speech during the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) Grand Breakfast held at SMX Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Wednesday, the Chief Executive said the government started implementing measures to eliminate smuggling in the Bureau of Customs, adding that the government’s comprehensive reform agenda also aims to restore integrity among BoC officials and employees.
An estimated 200 billion pesos was lost from the nation’s coffers every year because of transactionalism, patronage, and blatant corruption that have long plagued the Bureau of Customs, the President said.
“Ang repormang ipinapatupad natin sa Bureau of Customs ay isa sa mga pinakamatingkad na patunay nito. Mantakin po ninyo: tinatayang umabot sa dalawandaang bilyong piso ang nawawala sa kaban ng bayan taon-taon dahil sa transaksyonalismo, palakasan, at lantarang pandarambong na matagal na umiiral sa Customs,” he noted.
“Naging malinaw po sa atin na kung babalasahin lang natin ang mga nasa puwesto, pero ilalagay pa rin sila sa kung saan sila maaaring gumawa ng pinsala, talaga pong wala tayong patutunguhan. Ang atin pong tugon: Reset button para sa ahensyang matagal nang naging mukha ng katiwalian sa gobyerno,” the President stressed.
“Limang bagong deputy commissioner po ang ating itinalaga. Dalawang EO (Executive Order) para maipasok ang bagong dugo, para sa bagong mga pananaw at pamamaraan,” he said.
The President signed on September 2 Executive Order No. 140 Creating a Customs Policy Research Office (CPRO) in the Department of Finance and Executive Order No. 139 Creating an Office of the Revenue Agency Modernization (ORAM) in the Department of Finance.
“Iniatas din ang pag-uwi sa tamang posisyon ng mga naka-detail na empleyado; wala nang security guard na ginagawang collecting officer, o warehouseman na examiner; hindi na puwedeng nasa puwesto ka dahil sa palakasan, at hindi sa kakayahan. Kaya kung may natitira pa ring mga latak na nais kumapit sa lumang kalakaran: Sige po, subukan na lang po ninyo, at tingnan natin ang inyong paglalagyan,” he concluded.