Customs bureau, soon at par with world’s best
CALASIAO – The Bureau of Customs is expected to be at par with the best customs offices in the world with the expected completion of its modernization program in January next year.
This was disclosed by lawyer Gallant Soriano, deputy customs commissioner, a native of San Carlos City, one of the architects of the modernization of the Bureau of Customs.
The youngest of the nine children of the late Rep. Jack Soriano of the former second district of Pangasinan, said the Bureau of Customs is undergoing its continuing computerization program aside from acquiring state-of-the-art equipment, systems and technology under the Automated Systems Customs Data (ASYCUDA) program, to replace BoC’s computerization program launched from 1994 to 1999 that had become obsolete.
Soriano, a former councilor of San Carlos City, said the innovations ensure that “nothing moves in Customs without being captured by the computers.”
Completion of the project will soon make the BoC “paper-less, queue-less” and “cash-less” as exporters and importers will all pay customs duties through the banks.
He said the objective behind the second computerization program is anchored on a statement “nothing moves in Customs without being captured by computers.”
He said the technology can also enable people to reach BoC by texting using the SMS (short messages service) through their mobile phones to verify status of shipment, amount due for customs duties, including the latter’s entry.
Soriano is also presently in charge of BoC’s Non-Intrusive Container Inspection System Project (NICISP). “It is non-intrusive in the sense that containers will no longer be opened or brought down for physical inspection,” Soriano explained.
He said the highly sensitive x-ray with a penetration capacity of 470 millimeters, can capture the images including those found inside the engine block of a vehicle that is inside the container van.
The images are color-coded: red when it’s a bomb, blue when it’s firearm, green when it’s contraband and yellow when the container is cleared of any illegal shipment.
Two of the equipment will be installed at the Port of Manila, two others at the Manila International Container Port and one each at Subic, Batangas,Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga and Davao ports.
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