SURPLUS COLLECTION. A quay crane unloads container vans from an international cargo vessel docked at the Cebu International Port (CIP) in Cebu City. Bureau of Customs-Port of Cebu District Collector Charlito Martin Mendoza on Tuesday (June 2, 2020) said they were able to collect a PHP656.26-million surplus from January to May 2020 despite the two-month lull in the movement of commerce due to Covid-19 crisis. (PNA photo by John Rey Saavedra)
CEBU CITY – Despite the two-month lull in the movement of commerce due to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Bureau of Customs–Port of Cebu posted a surplus collection of PHP656.26 million in the first five months of this year.
Lawyer Charlito Martin Mendoza, BOC-Cebu district collector, on Tuesday, said Cebu port was able to collect a total of PHP11.60 billion as against the target of PHP10.94 billion for January to May.
Mendoza said BOC-Cebu has now a lowered assigned target after the Department of Finance adjusted customs revenue target for the year 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis.
Of the five collection months, Mendoza said only the month of February reflected a collection deficit of PHP328.29 million, as they were able to collect only PHP1.97 billion which is lower than the monthly target of PHP2.29 billion.
In a collection report, Conrado Abarintos, chief of BOC-Cebu’s collection division, said the port was able to collect PHP526.36-million surplus from the PHP1.71 billion assigned target for May, or actual collection of PHP2.23 billion.
BOC-Cebu posted PHP1.82 billion in collection as against PHP1.79-billion target for April.
Mendoza credited the positive revenue collection of BOC-Cebu to continuous “on-time” processing of entries despite the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status in Cebu province from April to May.
“Although there is a significant plunge in the volume of importations, we maximize the amount of duties and taxes that we can collect from them. So we collect what should be paid by the importers,” he told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.
He also credited the surplus collection of BOC-Cebu to the PHP245-million oil importation by Filoil.
Although there seems to have lower fuel consumption during the two-month ECQ in Cebu, Filoil has reinforced its March oil importation now that local government units here are reopening its economy under the general community quarantine, he said.
“I am optimistic that we can hit the target for 2020. As from January to May as against the target, we have posted a surplus of more around PHP500 million, we are confident to collect our assigned target,” Mendoza added.
Mendoza expressed optimism that with the resumption of operations of retail establishments and manufacturing industries now that Cebu is placed under GCQ until June 15, “there will be movement of inventories of our businessman and more imports will occur.”
Meanwhile, Mendoza said they will continue facilitating Covid-related importations.
Although declared as exempt of duties and taxes under Republic Act 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, he said the customs bureau is committed to fast-tracking the release of shipments of Covid-19 equipment and supplies. (PNA)
