BoC chief vows full customs digitalization
‘If we’re able to give them a real VVIP treatment, engagement and experience, we’re able to justly and fairly serve 80 percent of the sources of our revenue.’
‘If we’re able to give them a real VVIP treatment, engagement and experience, we’re able to justly and fairly serve 80 percent of the sources of our revenue.’
Bureau of Customs (BoC) Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno has pledged to overhaul the agency’s processes by fully digitalizing customs transactions, streamlining procedures and strengthening engagement with the private sector to make it easier for exporters to do business with the bureau.
Speaking at the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc.'s (PHILEXPORT) third-quarter membership meeting on 14 July, Nepomuceno said the reforms are part of the BoC’s broader modernization program aimed at improving trade facilitation and service delivery.
Nepomuceno, who recently took his oath as Customs commissioner on 29 June, said the agency’s modernization drive will focus on the full digital transformation of customs operations through the Customs Processing System (CPS), an artificial intelligence-enabled platform that will replace the aging Electronic-to-Mobile (E2M) system. The BOC is developing the platform through a public-private partnership.
The CPS will automate import, export, transit, risk assessment and digital payment processes, allowing exporters to submit documents online without unnecessary face-to-face transactions. “Much like they are using the ATM,” Nepomuceno said, adding that the system will eliminate override mechanisms and minimize human intervention, with direct dealings with customs personnel limited to major issues requiring higher-level approval.
The commissioner also announced measures to simplify compliance, including extending exporters’ accreditation validity to three years from one year under a memorandum signed on April 24, 2026.
He also disclosed plans to establish a Large Importers Group, modeled after the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s Large Taxpayers Service, with a dedicated VVIP Lane for the country’s 2,000 largest importers, which account for about 80 percent of customs revenue.
“If we're able to give them a real VVIP treatment, engagement and experience, we're able to justly and fairly serve 80% of the sources of our revenue,” he said.
Nepomuceno also stressed the importance of sustained dialogue with exporters and urged stakeholders to bring their concerns directly to the Office of the Commissioner.
