Photo courtesy of Bureau of Customs
METRO

BoC launches community outreach

Anthony Ching

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center launched an anti-parcel scam awareness campaign in Pasig City recently.

Nearly 100 barangay officials and community leaders attended the “Customs Community Caravan” to learn about protecting themselves from online and package fraud.

BoC-NAIA district collector Yasmin Obillos-Mapa said the initiative aims to empower communities with knowledge to combat cybercrime.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, on the other hand, expressed gratitude to the BoC for choosing the city as the pilot area for the caravan.

“Thank you very much for the program, and hopefully, you will be able to contribute to the upkeep of this caravan,” Sotto said.

CICC Information Technology Officer Paulo Ullado discussed ways to detect and prevent cybercrime, while BoC’s Vincent Fajardo talked about identifying parcel scams and safe handling of packages. DHL Express’ Norberto Castillo also shared tips on avoiding fraud.

The BoC advised the public to be cautious of online contacts, review social media profiles, and verify the authenticity of websites and receipts.

Assistant Commissioner Vincent Maronilla said the caravan aims to create a safer community.