National Single Window guards against fake permits, licenses

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Single Window (PNSW) will not only make significant improvements to the processing of business transactions, it will also have a security component that is designed to weed out fake permits and licenses.

According to an executive report presented during a recent briefing on the status of the PNSW, the National Single Window will have an additional security feature that “will ensure that there will be no more fake permits, clearances or licenses allowed in the goods clearance process.”

The PNSW is an Internet- based computerized system that allows parties involved in trade to lodge information and documents with a single entry point in fulfilling all their import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements.

The report said the PNSW system will be able to provide a number of functions and features. These include electronic submission of application forms, viewable status in the system dashboard, notification via email of application status, electronic attachment of supporting documents, mobile and electronic payment, creation of PDF documents with digital signatures, and creation executive dashboard and management reports.

At present, there are 95 application forms for import/export permits, licenses, and clearances held within the system, but these are still to be rationalized, standardized, and harmonized during the next phase of the project, added the report.

The NSW project is being implemented through Executive Order 482 dated Dec. 27, 2005 (Creating the National Single Window Task Force for Cargo Clearance). The 40 trade regulatory agencies involved in cargo clearance signed a memorandum of agreement on Feb. 10, 2012 to take part in the PNSW network.

The Philippines recently signed the Protocol of the Legal Framework on implementing the ASW, and the protocol is now set for domestic ratification in preparation for the PNSW interface with the ASW.