The Marcos administration’s reform agenda for the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is centered on digital transformation, with efforts focused on automating processes, strengthening centralized monitoring, and expanding the use of scanning technologies to improve transparency and reduce opportunities for corruption, Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.
Nepomuceno said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed him to ensure proper revenue collection and implement reforms in the agency, which has long faced allegations of corruption.
He said modernization efforts are aimed at reducing dependence on individual discretion by making customs processes technology-driven. The bureau’s digital transformation program includes the automation of import document submissions, payment processing, cargo declarations, and duty computations.
Nepomuceno said the BOC has identified eight priority areas for full digitalization as part of its medium-term reform program. Among the immediate measures implemented is the integration of scanning operations with centralized monitoring systems.
He explained that images captured by X-ray scanning machines at container examination areas are now simultaneously viewed and recorded at the central office.
“What is seen by the X-ray is also seen and recorded by the central office,” he said, adding that digital records and audit trails help prevent the alteration of inspection results.
The commissioner said additional scanning machines are needed to further strengthen monitoring and enforcement.
Nepomuceno said the agency is adopting technologies already being used in other countries rather than creating new systems from scratch. While full digitalization will take time because of procurement requirements, he said the reforms are already contributing to improved revenue collection and accountability within the bureau.
He added that officials and employees who fail to support the agency’s reform and collection programs are being replaced, regardless of political backing.