By Raymund Antonio
Small but terrible.
The Port of San Fernando in La Union, one of the smaller Bureau of Customs (BOC) ports, registered an annual collection of P4.206 billion to boost the overall revenue performance of the agency in 2019.
Bureau of Customs (MANILA BULLETIN)
The port’s total collection for the period exceeded its revenue target of P4.101 billion or a surplus of P105 million. It had the highest target among the minor ports.
As early as December 23, Port of San Fernando district collector Rhea Gregorio said they have already exceeded their full-year revenue target.
Gregorio assumed the top post in San Fernando port by midyear after the personnel movement undertaken by BOC in the country’s major ports . She is the former collector of the Port of Manila.
The lady collector said the port had faced “challenges” in terms of revenue collections as the volume of importation was “projected to be on down slope due to weather conditions and scheduled maintenance on the facilities of our regular importers.”
Nevertheless, the Port of San Fernando performed beyond expectations, posting a surplus for the year.
“Despite that, through the hardwork and cooperation of the men and women of the port, we managed to look for non-traditional revenue sources and took advantage of opportunities in the region to help us meet our target,” she said.
The San Fernando port is one of the BOC’s 17 collection districts that remain committed in its drive to collect revenues and vigilant in its efforts to prevent smuggling and other fraudulent and illegal acts.
The BOC, the government’s second-biggest revenue earner, is targeting to raise P677 billion for 2019.
BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero earlier expressed confidence that the bureau would be able to surpass this year its P593-billion revenue collections in 2018.