THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said non-traditional revenue sources such as voluntary settlements and audits propped up its revenue collection since July.
In the “First 100 Days Report,” of Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, who assumed office in July, the agency booked P505.03 million from such sources.
Of this, P432.729 million was generated through the Prior Disclosure Program, which allows importers to proactively settle their duty and tax deficiencies without penalty, it said.
From July 1 to Oct. 8, the BoC collected P263.09 billion in revenue overall, up 2.8%.
The BoC generates revenue from import duties and taxes, a value-added tax on imports, excise tax and other fees. It is tasked to collect P958.7 billion for 2025.
“The remaining P72.302 million was collected through post clearance audits, reflecting the Bureau’s strengthened enforcement of compliance and commitment to fostering accountability within the trading community,” it said.
Other sources of revenue were public auctions of forfeited goods held at major ports, which contributed P106.93 million.
This includes goods from Port of Manila, the Manila International Container Port, and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“These auctions not only convert seized goods into valuable fiscal contributions but also help decongest ports and uphold transparency in the disposal of government assets,” it said.
Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip C. Maronilla said the agency will focus on other potential nontraditional revenue sources to offset the tariff cuts arising from Executive Order No. 62 which cut import tariffs of selected products such as rice and pork.
In the same report, the BoC said illegal drugs were the top seized commodity between July 1 and Oct. 8, with an estimated value of P2.169 billion, out of the total P3.8 billion worth of illicit goods.
On Sunday, the BoC also announced that it intercepted 6,250 grams worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (known by its street name shabu), valued at P42.5 million, from a passenger from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Oct. 28.
Meanwhile, in a separate memorandum dated Oct. 23, the BoC said it adopted the Department of Finance’s Enhanced Tax Exemption System Lite, a digital platform that facilitates the online filing, validation, and confirmation of tax and duty exemption applications.
This will allow online monitoring of the status of Tax-Exempt Indorsements from approval to utilization at the port concerned.
The Bureau of the Treasury reported that the BoC generated revenue of P701.7 billion at the end of September. — Aubrey Rose A. Insane