LIMAY, Bataan — Petroleum products from Petron Bataan Refinery (PBR) in Limay town and the thousands of tons of coal being imported by GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co. (GNPD) and GNPower Mariveles Energy Center Ltd. Co. (GMEC) are the main sources of billions of pesos of taxes being collected by the Bureau of Customs here, it was learned Thursday.

BoC officials here said the two multinational companies — PBR and GNPD — GMEC including the Jetti Petroleum Inc., a 100 percent Filipino-owned independent oil company based in Lucanin, Mariveles town, are the highest contributors to the government coffers monthly as they pay billions of pesos monthly in terms of taxes.

The Bureau of Customs Port of Limay, under then district collector Atty. William B. Balayo had collected P123,246,457,466.48 or a surplus of P941,567,466.48 last 2023. Most of the taxes were collected from importation of petroleum and coal.

The Port of Limay is now headed by Atty Kriden Balgomera as new district collector. Balgomera said that PBR is their biggest clients in terms of taxes as it pays billions of taxes every end of the month.

Collections for the last two months-May and June, however, were not released to media by the Port of Limay and Mariveles Subport, making newsmen clueless about their tax collection efficiency. 

Aside from PBR, GNPD was also recognized as one of the Top 5 Importers of 2023 by the Bureau of Customs Port of Limay. 

In recognition to this, an award was given to GNPD COO Emmanuel Lopez during the agency’s 16th anniversary celebration in BoC’s Lamao facility last June 7.

Bataeños also lauded GNPD for allocating P80 million for its corporate social responsibility in the host province of Bataan.

In a statement sent to media based in Bataan, the prestigious award acknowledged GNPD’s commitment to import compliance and its significant contributions to the economic growth of the region. The company’s dedication to efficient and smooth import operations throughout the year played a key role in securing this recognition.

“Our goal is to not only meet but exceed the expectations of our stakeholders and contribute positively to economic development as we empower progress,” Lopez said. “BoC has played a pivotal role in our operations, and they have also displayed unwavering commitment and integrity. We are proud to be part of this significant milestone.”

Coal importation is one of GNPD’s top priorities to maintain optimal performance and meet the country’s energy production demand. The company imports approximately 160,000 metric tons of coal a week, which is around 640,000 metric tons in a month.