The Bureau of Customs is urging its Southeast Asian peers to consider the World Customs Organization (WCO) Mercator program designed to foster integrity and transparency across all customs operations.

At the 32nd Meeting of the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs in Pattaya, Thailand, Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio highlighted the benefits of the WCO Mercator program, particularly in terms of promoting integrity.

Drawing on Manila's own experience with the program, Rubio emphasized the importance of diagnostic tools that help identify potential integrity issues and recommend solutions.

To further promote transparency and integrity in customs operations throughout the ASEAN region, Rubio urged his counterparts to take advantage of the WCO Mercator program.

He emphasized the importance of ethical customs practices and the need to maintain high standards of integrity in all customs administrations in Southeast Asia.

In the area of customs procedures and trade facilitation, Rubio also reported the accessibility of the Time Release Study (TRS) through the WCO CLiKC! e-learning platform.

Recognizing the crucial role of the TRS in promoting efficient customs procedures, Rubio then called for increased collaboration with the private sector and other stakeholders in accessing this valuable resource.

Earlier, Rubio affirmed the bureau’s continued collaboration with the WCO in its bid to achieve a customs administration that is at par with global standards.

The commitment came after WCO representatives paid a courtesy call to Rubio where they discussed the program and various trade facilitation measures under the Mercator program.

During the meeting, discussions centered on various projects of the bureau, such as Customs Organizational Development and Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) Technical Measures.

They also covered Customs Organizational Development projects, including the National Customs Trade Facilitation Champions, Competency-based Human Resource Management, Integrity Development, Leadership and Management Development, and Gender Inclusivity.

The discussion also delved into TFA Technical Measures, specifically the Time Release Study, Expedited Shipment - Air Cargo Streamlining, Authorized Economic Operator Program, Risk Management, and the National Customs Enforcement Network.

For its part, WCO promised to provide inputs to the effective implementation of these projects by Customs.

The meeting was attended by Donia Hammami, Head of the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme at the United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs-WCO-United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD).

Also in attendance was Stephen Muller, a Time Release Study (TRS) and Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) expert.