BOC role in Asean integration cited

Malacañang said on Saturday it is confident the Bureau of Customs (BOC) would do its part effectively as the country becomes part of a more integrated Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

President Aquino appointed Alberto Lina as the new chief of the bureau following the resignation of John Philip Sevilla, who initiated several reform measures at the bureau.

Lina was Customs commissioner briefly during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. But he resigned with other “Hyatt 10” Cabinet officials following allegations of poll fraud. He returned to the private sector and focused on his businesses under the Lina Group of Companies.

Lina is founder and chairman of 19 companies under the Lina Group of Companies. In the last elections, his named was dragged into a controversy when one of his companies, forwarder Airfreight 2100 (Air21), got an alleged anomalous contract with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the deployment of election paraphernalia in Mindanao.

“Para po sa atin, patuloy po ang trabaho sa BOC,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo Ng Bayan.

“Determinado si Commissioner Alberto Lina na ipagpatuloy at tapusin ang mga repormang nasimulan na diyan at gawing mahalaga ang paglahok ng Bureau of Customs sa overall economic [performance] po natin, lalung-lalong na doon sa nabanggit na Asean integration na kung saan sa trade facilitation ay malaki ang papel na ginagampanan ng BOC,” Coloma said.

But Coloma explained that the government’s thrust with regards to Asean integration is through concerted efforts by different government agencies, and the Customs bureau is one of those entities.

The bureau plays a major role in trade facilitation because it handles the entry of goods in the country’s airports and seaports, he added.

Coloma also mentioned the reform measures being carried out at the BOC.

“Sa mga nakaraang taon ay pinalakas na po natin ang ating mga sistema, binago natin ang ating mga patakaran,” he said.

“Kaya hindi naman po iisang ahensiya lang ang concerned dito. Team effort po ito ng ating pamahalaan at hindi po natitinag ang ating determinasyon na maging maayos ang paglahok ng Pilipinas sa Asean economic integration,” Coloma added.

President Aquino leaves Sunday, April 26, for Malaysia to attend the 26th Asean summit. With a report from PNA