| Agencyname: | Bureau of Customs |
| Nativename: | Kawanihan ng Adwana |
| Commonname: | Bureau of Customs |
| Abbreviation: | BoC, BOC |
| Logocaption: | Seal of the Bureau of Customs |
| Flagcaption: | Ensign of the Bureau of Customs |
| Budget: | billion (2021)[1] |
| Country: | Philippines |
| National: | Yes |
| Headquarters: | POM Building, Port Area, Manila, Philippines |
| Minister1name: | Ralph G. Recto |
| Minister1pfo: | Secretary of the Department of Finance |
| Chief1name: | Bienvenido Y. Rubio |
| Chief1position: | Commissioner |
| Speciality1: | customs |
| Parentagency: | Department of Finance |
The Bureau of Customs (abbreviated BoC or BOC; Filipino; Pilipino: Kawanihan ng Adwana) is a Filipino government agency that is responsible for the collecting of customs duties, excise duties, and other indirect taxes in the Philippines. It is part of the Philippines Department of Finance.
The Bureau of Customs was established on February 6, 1902 by the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands when it was under control of the United States of America, during the American Colonial Era of the Philippines.[2]
Prior to European colonization, people in the Philippines traded with others from Southeast Asia. Since money was not yet the medium of exchange, people bartered commodities. The rulers of the barangays collected tributes from the people before they were allowed to engage in trade. The practice of collecting tributes became part of the Customs Law of the Land.
During the Spanish Colonial Era of the Philippines, Spain passed three important statutes:
When the Americans came to the Philippines, the Military Government continued to enforce the Spanish Tariff Code of 1891, which remained in effect until the Philippine Commission enacted the Tariff Revision Law of 1901.
On October 24, 1900, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 33 abolishing and changing the position of Captain of the Port to Collector of Customs in all ports of entry except the Port of Manila. The designation of the Captain of the Port in the Port of Manila was retained.
When the Civil Government was established in the Philippines, the most important laws passed by the Philippine Commission were the following:
When the Department of Justice became a separate office from the Department of Finance, the customs service remained under the umbrella of the latter which set-up remained up to this time.
After the Philippine Commonwealth was established, the Philippine Legislature enacted Commonwealth Act No. 613 forming the Bureau of Immigration as a separate office from the Bureau of Customs.
On May 1, 1947, the Bureau of Customs has as its head the Insular Collector of Customs. He was assisted by the Deputy Insular Collector of Customs. Both officials were concurrently Collector of Customs and the Deputy Collector of Customs of the Port of Manila. The Republic Pursuant to the Executive Order No. 94 of Republic Act No. 52, the President of the Philippines reorganized the different departments, bureaus, offices and agencies of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. Consequently, the Insular Collector of Customs was changed to Collector of Customs for the Port of Manila. The reorganization took effect on July 1, 1947.
In 1957, Congress enacted the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines known as Republic Act No. 1937, otherwise known as the “Tariff Law of the Republic of the Philippines”. This took effect on July 1, 1957. The passage of this act by the defunct Congress of the Philippines subject to the provisions of the Laurel-Langley Agreement, became the first official expression of an autonomous Philippine Tariff Policy.
Before the passage of Republic Act 1937, all importations from the United States enjoyed full exemptions pursuant to the Tariff Act No. 1902 which was adopted by Republic Act No. 3 as the Tariff Laws of the Philippines.
Pursuant to the Executive Order No. 94 of Republic Act No. 52, the President of the Philippines reorganized the different departments, bureaus, offices and agencies of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. Consequently, the Insular Collector of Customs was changed to Collector of Customs for the Port of Manila. The reorganization took effect on July 1, 1947.
In 1957, Congress enacted the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines known as Republic Act No. 1937, otherwise known as the “Tariff Law of the Republic of the Philippines”. This took effect on July 1, 1957. The passage of this act by the defunct Congress of the Philippines subject to the provisions of the Laurel-Langley Agreement, became the first official expression of an autonomous Philippine Tariff Policy.
On May 28, 2017, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized worth of methamphetamine in two warehouses in Barangay Ugong of Valenzuela, Metro Manila. The BOC said that they acted on an intelligence report from the Chinese General Administration of Customs. The seizure was made in accordance to a Letter of Authority issued by BOC Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon. The BOC officials were accompanied by personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who inspected the warehouses found the contraband in five metal cylinders.[3]
During the Senate and House hearings, details on how the shipment was smuggled into the Philippines were given. On May 16, 2017, the ship Guang Ping Voyage No. 1719S, which carried the container with the methamphetamine arrived at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in Tondo, Manila. The cargo of the ship was lodged on the next day by Customs broker, Teejay Marcellana, who claims that the shipment contained kitchenware. The following day, the importer of the goods, EMT Trading, which is owned by Eirene Tatad, paid the customs and duties for the shipment. The firm says that they were not aware of the illegal drugs inside the shipment. The shipment was then passed through the green lane where shipments were not scanned through X-ray. According to protocol, shipments accepted by first-time importers or from China were not allowed to be passed through the green lane. A truck registered under Golden Strike Logistics transported the container from the MICP on May 23.[4] Chinese businessman Richard Tan, also known as Chen Ju Long, narrated during the congressional hearing that he called the Bureau of Customs at 11pm after he was informed about the illegal drugs shipment. Customs broker, Mark Taguba claims that Tan was behind the smuggling of the drugs who says that he was hired by the businessman to "fix" the shipment through a middle man named Kenneth Dong.[4]
The Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigated and called the BOC personnel with links to the case as either incompetent or corrupt.[5]
The Bureau has the following duties under the 2015 Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (RA 10863):[6]
The Bureau of Customs is headed by a Commissioner, who is responsible for the general administration and management of the bureau. The Commissioner is assisted by six Deputy Commissioners and an Assistant Commissioner, who supervises the Internal Administration Group, Revenue Collection Monitoring Group, Assessment and Operations Coordination Group, Intelligence Group, Enforcement Group, Management Information System and Technology Group and Post Clearance Audit Group.
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) is the service of the Bureau mandated to the collection, collation, and evaluation of data and information on acts of economic sabotage and the conduct of surveillance, investigation and apprehension of cases involving violations of customs, tariff laws and regulations.[7]
The Bureau of Customs has 17 Customs Districts (as enumerated below). Each Customs District is headed and supervised by a District Collector, assisted by as many Deputy District Collectors as may be necessary. A Customs District has a designated “principal port of entry”. Generally, a principal port of entry has its “sub-port(s) of entry”.
| Customs District | Principal Port of Entry | City/Municipality |
|---|---|---|
| Customs District I | Port of San Fernando | San Fernando, La Union |
| Customs District II-A | Port of Manila (POM) | Manila (Port Area) |
| Customs District II-B | Manila International Container Port (MICP) | Manila (Tondo) |
| Customs District III | Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) | Pasay |
| Customs District IV | Port of Batangas | Batangas City |
| Customs District V | Port of Legazpi | Legazpi, Albay |
| Customs District VI | Port of Iloilo | Iloilo City |
| Customs District VII | Port of Cebu | Cebu City |
| Customs District VIII | Port of Tacloban | Tacloban |
| Customs District IX | Port Surigao | Surigao City |
| Customs District X | Port of Cagayan de Oro | Cagayan de Oro |
| Customs District XI | Port of Zamboanga | Zamboanga City |
| Customs District XII | Davao City | |
| Customs District XIII | Port of Subic | |
| Customs District XIV | Port of Clark | |
| Customs District XV | Port of Aparri | Aparri, Cagayan |
| Customs District XVI | Port of Limay | Limay, Bataan |
| Name | Term | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | ||
| Insular Collectors of the Port of Manila (1902–1946) | |||
| Morgan Anhister | 1902 | 1916 | |
| J.S. Stanley | 1916 | 1918 | |
| Vicente Aldenese | 1918 | 1937 | |
| Guillermo Gomez | 1937 | 1945 | |
| Melencio Fabros | 1945 | 1946 | |
| Commissioners (1946–present) | |||
| Alfredo de Leon | 1947 | 1950 | |
| Alfredo Jacinto | 1950 | 1954 | |
| Jaime Velasquez | 1954 | 1955 | |
| Manuel Manahan | 1955 | 1957 | |
| Eleuterio Capapas | 1957 | 1960 | |
| Timoteo Aseron | 1960 | ||
| Eleuterio Capapas | 1960 | 1961 | |
| Rolando Geotina | 1961 | ||
| Cesar Climaco | 1962 | ||
| Norberto Romualdez, Jr. | 1962 | 1963 | |
| Rodrigo Perez, Jr. | 1963 | 1964 | |
| Jose B. Lingad | 1964 | ||
| Alfredo de Joya | 1964 | 1965 | |
| Pablo Mariano | 1965 | ||
| Jacinto Gavino | 1965 | 1966 | |
| Juan Ponce Enrile | 1966 | 1968 | |
| Rolando Geotina | 1968 | 1975 | |
| Alfredo Pio de Roda, Jr. | 1975 | 1977 | |
| Ramon Farolan | 1977 | 1986 | |
| Wigberto Tañada | 1986 | 1987 | |
| Alexander Padilla | 1987 | ||
| Salvador Mison | 1987 | 1991 | |
| Tomas Apacible | 1991 | 1992 | |
| Guillermo Parayno, Jr. | 1992 | 1998 | |
| Pedro Mendoza, Jr. | 1998 | ||
| Nelson Tan | 1998 | 1999 | |
| Renato Ampil | 1999 | 2001 | |
| Titus Villanueva | 2001 | 2002 | |
| Antonio Bernardo | 2002 | 2004 | |
| George Jereos | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Alberto Lina | 2005 | ||
| Alexander Arevalo | July 2005 | December 2005 | |
| Napoleon Morales | January 2006 | July 2010 | |
| Angelito Alvarez | July 2010 | September 2011 | |
| Ruffy Biazon | September 2011 | December 2013 | |
| John Philip Sevilla | December 2013 | April 2015 | |
| Alberto Lina | April 2015 | June 30, 2016 | |
| Nicanor Faeldon[8] | June 30, 2016 | August 30, 2017 | |
| Isidro Lapeña | August 30, 2017 | October 31, 2018 | |
| Rey Leonardo Guerrero | October 31, 2018 | July 20, 2022 | |
| Yogi Filemon Ruiz | July 20, 2022 | February 10, 2023 | |
| Bienvenido Rubio | February 10, 2023 | present | |