The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has organized a virtual inter-port coordination forum with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) to strengthen the country's border protection initiatives.
The BOC said in a statement on Good Friday, April 2, that the forum was held in line with the directive of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero to intensify the crackdown on smuggling through coordinated profiling, examination, and inspection at ports.
He also called for the BOC and its partner-agencies' sustained vigilance against the entry of illegal goods --including illegal drugs-- into the country amid the observance of the Lenten season and the enforcement of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Greater Manila Area.
The virtual forum was organized by the BOC Port of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Port of Manila last March 29.
During the forum, the three agenciea presented their interdiction processes, operations, and best practices "to ensure smooth inter-port and inter-agency coordination" in case of an operation.
The forum was attended by NAIA District Collector Carmelita Talusan, Port of Manila District Collector Michael Angelo Vargas, Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) Acting Subport Collector Mark Almase, Customs Postal Office Chief Dr. Zaldy Almoradie, PDEA NAIA-IADITG Deputy Commander Gerald Javier, Philpost Managers Donabel Asunsion and Roger Tumblos among others.