EIGHT years after the enactment of Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, the government’s bid to accelerate trade seemed moving slower than expected amid several factors – one of which is an “embedded culture of corruption.”
For one, this Act is primarily designed to modernize Customs rules and procedures for faster trade, reduce opportunities for corruption, improve the bureau’s service delivery and improve supply chain.
The enactment of RA 10863, however, would not suffice what is required for the trade to accelerate without the right men for the job.
Taking the case of Subic, smuggling activities ranging from rice, sugar, frozen meat, and cigarettes among others continues to thrive at the former American naval base, as claimed by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda in a report published in the Business Mirror.
THE SUBIC FREEPORT
From being an American facility strategically located in an area facing an open sea, RA 7227 effectively converted Subic Bay Naval Base into what is now referred to as the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ).
The same law created the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) with clear mandates: to develop the facility aimed at generating tax while extending duty-free privileges and incentives to business locators inside the country’s first freeport.
No less than the Commission on Audit (COA) cited the crucial role of the SBFZ “in the national government’s efforts to achieve international competitiveness and provide for its integration with the global economy.”
With an active trade in place, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has embedded a district collection office —referred to as Port of Subic — inside the facility for the purpose of ensuring tariffs and taxes are collected corresponding incoming and outgoing shipments.
THE PORT OF SUBIC
While the law provides that freeports like the SBFZ are deemed separate customs territory, the fact that the facility hosts incoming and outgoing shipments in itself requires the presence of the BOC for proper facilitation and duties collection.
With overlapping functions under the laws which created both the BOC and the SBFZ, there is an urgent need for a collaboration which may only be possible under the helm of a person who has an impeccable familiarity in the issues hounding the freeport.
The good thing though is that Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio found the right man for the job with an impeccable record embarking on effective implementation of revenue collection, trade facilitation, and a keen eye on spotting fraud.
More than the conventional responsibilities of implementing the BOC mandate, the go-to person has to be someone who would be able to bridge the gap between the BOC and the SBMA in view of the overlapping functions.
(With Atty. Marlon Fritz Bogtong Broto, MNSA) at the helm, the Port of Subic hinted at enhancing its contributions to national progress while continuing to serve as a cornerstone of trade, economic growth, and security.
URGENT AND TIMELY
Earlier this year, acting Customs Deputy Commissioner Marlon Fritz Bogtong Broto, was tapped to take the helm as the new district collector at the agency’s freeport-based Port of Subic, raising eyebrows on what seemed more of a demotion.
However, stakeholders inside the freeport don’t see it that way. They are considering Broto’s appointment at the Port of Subic as urgent and timely in view of an imminent legal squabble arising from questions on whether or not BOC has jurisdiction over a secluded freeport zone.
Broto, a lawyer by profession, is no stranger at the Port of Subic where he once served as deputy district collector for operations, before being assigned acting deputy commissioner for the Management Information Systems and Technology Group of the bureau.
During his stint as deputy collector for operations, Broto shared BOC’s various information and communications technology (ICT) projects which he intends to complete with his “assumption.”
THE NEW DIRECTION
With Broto at the helm, the Port of Subic hinted at enhancing its contributions to national progress while continuing to serve as a cornerstone of trade, economic growth, and security.
“My commitment to the stakeholders and communities we serve is simple yet resolute: to lead with integrity, act with purpose, and uphold the highest standards in all that we do,” the new district collector was quoted as saying in a statement.
“Together, we will ensure that the Port of Subic continues to thrive, setting new benchmarks for excellence while contributing meaningfully to our nation’s development,” he quipped.
