BOC to auction overstaying cargo

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is planning to auction overstaying cargo stored in warehouses to increase its revenue collection, Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon said yesterday.

Customs is assigned to raise P320 billion as of September this year but collection is already P34 billion below target.  

“I was given a thick file on the list of overstaying cargo that are up for disposal. I am expecting that we could generate revenue from that,” said Biazon.

He ordered an inventory of overstaying cargo stored in warehouses in the Port of Manila, Manila International Container Port, and in the bureau’s extension warehouses outside Metro Manila.

“As of now, I could not yet say how much the BOC could earn from the disposal of these items. I have yet to receive the estimate revenue figure of these overstaying cargo,” Biazon said.

Included in the list of overstaying cargo are high-end vehicles such as a Toyota Camry, a Cherokee jeep, and agricultural products that may already be unfit for auction.