CDO port posts high collection performance

MANILA, Philippines - The revamp instituted in the Bureau of Customs in Cagayan de Oro City has resulted in a dramatic increase of collections and apprehension of several luxury vehicles, according to the records from the Bureau of Customs’ Collection District X.

Lawyer Anju Nereo Castigador, who recently assumed his post as district collector of Customs in Cagayan de Oro revealed that the major overhaul specifically at the Mindanao Container Terminal sub-port of Cagayan de Oro has given new impetus in their drive to achieve their collection targets.

Although shy by 12 percent from its assigned year-to-date target, the CDO port and sub-ports posted a modest five-percent increase in its collection performance this June, Castigador said, noting that MCT alone collected P408.5 million exceeding its June 2010 performance by P187,688,947 or 85 percent over.

The aggregate collection of the BOC District X for the month of June amount to P481,86 9,433 against its assigned target of P459-million, he pointed out.

According to Castigador, the June 2011 collection marks the first time this year that the BOC Collection District X, otherwise known as ‘Cagayan de Oro Port, exceeded its monthly target.

Lawyer Ernelito G. Aquino took over as OIC-Port Collector of MCT on the heels of the investigation of series of smuggling cases involving luxury vehicles and motorcycles. The new team that mans the MCT sub-port includes Aquino, lawyer Noe L. Espenilla, deputy collector for administration and operations; collector Quinciano Pavadora Jr., acting deputy collector for assessment; Hernando Mendoza, chief of the Assessment Division; Rene Buan Jr., acting chief Cargo Control Section and Bellarmine Valencia, acting chief Export Section. All six were posted to the MCT port by Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez on the recommendation of Castigador.

Like Castigador, Aquino, Pavadora and Mendoza were previously based in Davao Customs Port. It was also during their term in 2010 that Davao port collected a whooping P3.17 billion exceeding 2009 performance by nearly P800 million.

The unprecedented feat earned Castigador an award of distinction which was handed by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile during the BOC anniversary in February this year.

Together with BOC’s Enforcement Group under Deputy Comnmissioner Horacio Suansing, Castigador and his new team at MCT sub-port have caused the apprehension of several misdeclared luxury vehicles in their turf.

As a result of their continuing anti-smuggling drive, several suspect containers are slated to be opened by Commissioner Alvarez and Deputy Commissioner Suansing in Cagayan de Oro in the coming days.