By XANDER DAVE CEBALLOS
A passport that will ease the customs procedures and reduce administration costs for imports such as commercial samples and exhibition items is set to be implemented.
The Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) launched the ATA Carnet system, guaranteeing small businesses and professionals full payment of customs duties should their goods fail to be re-exported within the time limit.
Fair exhibitors, traveling business or sales executives, technicians, and professional individuals and teams who will use their goods for trade missions, business trips, and participation at international trade fairs can use the ATA Carnet.
Also dubbed the “International Passport for Goods,” the ATA Carnet is accepted by an international network of 81 customs administrations such as Japan, China, and Korea.
The PCCI said that the trade passport’s validity shall not exceed one year from the effective date of the security furnished to them.
It explained that individuals who want to bring their goods in the Philippines could secure the ATA Carnet from the chamber of commerce of the host country, while those who want to bring their goods outside the Philippines can secure theirs from the PCCI.
BOC Assistant Commissioner and Spokesperson Vincent Philip Maronilla emphasized that before the implementation of ATA Carnet, businesses are required to leave a cash bond to the PCCI before exporting their goods to other countries.
“So, what the ATA Carnet actually addresses is the tedious process that we have right now and the burden of the importer or the one who's going to use the goods having to post a bond,” Maronilla told reporters at the sidelines of the launching of ATA Carnet.
“Ang ngayon, ang mangyayari, yung Chambers of commerce of each country. A guaranteeing business organization from the exporting country will guarantee their part of the obligation,” he further said.
“And sa atin, PCCI will guarantee a certain part of that obligation, most particularly taxes, if and when these are not re-exported. So with that, mas magiging madaling yung paparating ng goods, mag-proseso, at pag-re-export,” he added.
He also said that before the ATA Carnet, businesses were required to secure a tax-exempt certificate from the Department of Finance.
“With the implementation of the 8A Carnet, as you know, it's as simple as actually presenting some documents with the Bureau of Customs, and the guarantee will come from the chambers of commerce,” Maronilla said.