Exporters reminded of correct goods declaration process cancellation

The Bureau of Customs is remninding exporters that there is a proper way to cancel the Single Administrative Document or SAD, the form used as customs declaration or goods declaration in international trade exchanges.

Jenny Diokno, chief of the BoC's Export Coordination Division, said the bureau has been getting many requests from exporters to cancel their SAD, and in order to avoid problems, she advises declarants to follow the right process in successfully canceling existing SADs and lodging new ones.

"This is a very contentious issue. We always encounter requests for cancellation," Diokno said during a recent webinar on BoC export formalities. "As a general rule, before we lodge, we have to make sure the details are correct," she said.

Mandatory

She said that since it is now mandatory to input the registry number of the ship, the agency often receives inquiries on what to do when the registry number is wrong because of a change of vessel.

"There is no problem there. There is no corresponding penalty for that under CAO 1-2020. Its not considered a clerical error," assured Diokno.

She pointed out that this is beyond the control of the declarant or exporter as it is the shipping line that issues the change of vessel or vessel registry number. "It's fine as long as we receive a notification,"  she said.

The basic process followed in cancelling the SAD or export declaration is to submit the letter of request for SAD cancellation, addressed to the chief of the export division at the port of loading, and accomplish the SAD cancellation form. Then upload the documents on the portal, Diokno said.

The exporter should wait for the approval of the request and only when the cancellation is approved should the declarant lodge a new SAD or ED.

Importance of waiting

Diokno stressed the importance of waiting for the approval before lodging a new SAD.