JV Ejercito bats for modernization of Customs operations
May 22, 2023
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Monday
said modernizing and automating the Bureau of Customs will address corruption
in the agency by reducing “human discretion” in its critical operations and
assessments.
In a media interview, Ejercito, who
principally authored the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Law, said automation will
prevent assessment officers from manipulating the value of goods entering the
country.
“Hindi makapag-automate at dahil ang
computerization nila ay naaantala, ang nangyayari, nabibigyan ng human
discretion,” he said.
“Pag hindi computerized, pag may human
discretion, pag may bura-bura, alam na po natin kung ano nangyayari sa ganoon,”
he added.
The lawmaker from San Juan said he has
received reports that the assessed value of a given product entering the
country would sometimes differ across ports.
“Ang napakapowerful diyan ay yung intelligence
and assessment service na iisang tao lang po halos ang naglalagay ng assessed
values sa lahat ng produkto,” Ejercito said.
“Kaya nakapagtataka, sa Port of Subic, sa Port
of Manila, iba-iba yung presyo ng iisang produkto. Nagkakaroon po ng duda
doon,” he added.
Ejercito called on the national government to
resume and expedite the BOC’s modernization program to address these
discrepancies in the assessment of goods entering the country.
“Ang sabi nila, may kaso yung kanilang modernization
(program). Iyon ang kanilang binabanggit na dilemma nila kasi hanggang ngayon,
human discretion po talaga ang paglagay ng assessed value,” he said.
