Nearly ₱1 billion worth of illegal cigarettes concealed in 25 container vans have been intercepted by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Mandaue City, Cebu on Thursday, July 2, marking the country’s second-largest tax collection agency’s major seizures under its intensified campaign against...
Today’s piece is a reflection on the fuel marking program (FMP), a topic that is the current buzz in business circles and one close to my heart as a chemist by education and a nosy journalist by profession. That’s right, Virginia, I’m joining the fray. I will try to go deep into the...
To address concerns over electronic waste entering Port of Subic, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has called for a meeting with various government agencies, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). In a statement on Saturday, June 27, the BOC said the meeting follows public...
The Philippines’ more-than-three-decade-old devolution program remains incomplete, with local government units (LGUs) and national agencies continuing to share responsibilities for many basic services despite the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC), according to state-run policy think tank...
Authorities intercepted 23 containers of smuggled cigarettes valued at ₱1.7 billion at a private wharf in Manila, marking one of the largest illicit tobacco seizures this year as the government intensifies its crackdown on tax evasion and border fraud. The joint enforcement operation, conducted...
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has overhauled its export tracking framework for special economic zones and free ports, establishing an automated integration system that threatens strict physical inspections for non-compliant shippers and introduces potential liability for state investment promotion...
The Department of Finance (DOF) has begun negotiations with Switzerland-based SICPA SA for a proposed ₱13.44-billion fuel marking program extension beyond the expiration of the current contract in mid-2026, ensuring the continuation of a key anti-smuggling initiative that has been in place since...
Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno has ordered all district collectors to mandatorily report to the Customs Operations Center (CoC) all high-stakes activities, including intrusive inspections, serving of legal warrants, and handling of flagged cargo. To uphold centralized...
The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) is pushing for reforms to make the new policy of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which provides temporary relief to foreign cable-laying and repair vessels, more responsive to business demands. In a statement on Friday, May 29, AmCham...
Bureau of Customs (BOC) agents intercepted over 1,800 boxes of counterfeit luxury goods valued at ₱841 million in Valenzuela City, marking a massive seizure of fake Versace, Jo Malone, and Cetaphil products intended for the local market. In a May 28 statement, the BOC said the operation was...
The national government’s (NG) usual April budget surplus shrank by more than half this year after the annual income tax returns (AITRs) filing and payment deadline was extended by one month due to the national energy emergency, although revenues were partly supported by millions of pesos in...
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has issued new rules streamlining the temporary admission of foreign cable-laying and repair vessels, as the government moves to facilitate submarine cable and offshore energy projects deemed critical to the country’s digital and energy infrastructure. Under the...
