BOC taps PLDT unit to connect ports

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has tapped a unit of dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) to connect the country’s major ports and subports to improve the agency’s integrity and efficiency.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said in a statement that PLDT Alpha Enterprise would help connect the agency’s 15 major ports and 27 sub-ports all over the country via a wide area network (WAN).

Biazon said PLDT would be able to help BOC perform its mandate of raising revenues for the government while sustaining integrity efforts through technology using 1mbps redundant line for major ports and 512 kbps connection through an Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IPVPN) solution for sub-ports.

 “We need a reliable technology partner and PLDT gives us that confidence that will help us perform and improve our services to our customers,” he stressed.

Ernesto Alberto, executive vice president and head of PLDT/Smart Enterprise and International Carrier Business, said PLDT completed its P67.1 billion investments to serve commercial ends as well as to participate in nation-building.

 “The BOC is a very vital agency in the nation’s quest for sustainable economic development,” Alberto said.

PLDT Alpha Enterprise would also provide managed services for switches, routers, monitoring equipment, WiFi, and VoIP equipment under the agreement with the BOC.

BOC and PLDT are exploring other technologies such as video conferencing and document management systems to further enhance the government’s operational efficiencies,

BOC director of Management Information Service and Technology Group Jonathan Soriano said the agency is also looking for videoconferencing solutions that would help the Commissioner communicate with the customs collectors nationwide.

The BOC is the government’s second major source of revenues next to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The BOC and the BIR are under heavy pressure to boost collections as the Aquino administration has decided not to push for new tax measures other than amendments to the existing excise tax law on alcohol and cigarettes and the fiscal incentives measure.

The BOC is tasked to collect P347 billion this year and P397 billion next year.