Bureau of Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz has ordered the intensified implementation of the Electronic Tracking of Containerized Cargo system to ensure stronger and more efficient monitoring of the movement and location of containers to secure the transit of imported goods within the country's borders.

Of 50,698 completed trips recorded by the E-TRACC, only five alarms were reported in the system for the month of August this year, indicating lesser attempts in the commission of diversion, customs fraud and other illegal activities.

Based on the latest report of the Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group, the 50,698 completed trips in August 2022 are broken down as follows: 37,135 intended for PEZA; 7,361 for Cold Storage Warehouse; 2,032 for Customs Bonded Warehouse Imports; 1,349 trips for Container Yard/Container Freight Station accounts; 2,271 trips for CBW Exports; 103 for condemned cargoes; and; 447 trips for transfer of shipments subject to further verification and/or monitoring.

"I am glad that the minimal number of alarms show that the E-TRACC system is highly effective and a powerful deterrent against diversion and smuggling," Commissioner Ruiz said.

"We must not rest easy and be complacent because of the lesser number of alarms. In fact, we must take this as a sign for us to work even harder to maximize technology and aim for "0" alarm on our E-TRACC System" Ruiz emphatically added.

ICT at work

The E-TRACC System enables real -time monitoring of inland movement of containerized goods using an Information and Communications Technology-enabled system.

This includes a GPS-enabled tracking device to secure its transport to the intended destination. The system also has a state-of-the-art alarm feature than can detect diversion and tampering.

The ETRACC system remains a vital tool for BoC in identifying and preventing illegal activities during the movement of cargoes such as erroneous delivery of containers, missing containers, or unauthorized diversion.

The E-TRACC System was launched through the issuance of Customs Memorandum Order 04-2020.