The Bureau of Customs (BOC) surpassed its revenue targets for the second consecutive month in February, bolstered by aggressive enforcement and a crackdown on non-compliance.

Preliminary data from the country’s second-largest tax collection arm showed that collections reached ₱73.8 billion last month, exceeding the ₱72.6 billion goal by ₱1.2 billion.

“This marks the second consecutive month of above-target performance for the Bureau this year,” the BOC wrote in a statement released on Monday, March 2.

It can be recalled that the agency exceeded its revenue target for the first month of 2026, driven by the peso slump and a resurgence in agricultural imports. It collected ₱80.7 billion in January, surpassing its monthly goal by ₱513 million.

February collections inched up by nearly three percent from ₱71.8 billion in the same month last year, but dropped by 8.9 percent month on month.

Collections for the first two months of the year were ₱3.7 billion, or 2.5 percent, higher than in the same period last year at ₱151 billion. This momentum, the BOC said, highlights the steady gains early in the fiscal year.

According to Customs, this feat mirrors the order of the President “to reinforce fiscal discipline and enhance revenue collection for national priorities.” It added that Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno made enforcement and compliance swifter.

Nepomuceno stressed that the higher-than-expected collection in February countered the usual assumption that collections contract during the month of the Chinese New Year.

He took pride in the BOC exceeding its target, citing the efforts of port collectors, along with proper assessment, stricter enforcement of rules, and the due diligence of deputy commissioners.

Looking ahead, Nepomuceno committed to sustaining and building on this trend. “The Bureau remains committed to further enhancing its systems and processes to ensure sustained revenue performance in support of the country’s fiscal stability and development agenda,” the BOC said.

For this year, the BOC is tasked to collect ₱1 trillion, a challenge Nepomuceno has taken on, given the “reasonable” economic assumptions.

To hit its full-year target of ₱1 trillion, the agency must maintain a monthly average collection of approximately ₱83.3 billion. Collections as of end-February stand at 15.5 percent of the target.