Slow and expensive

They say that “The more things change, the more they remain the same”.

The first thing people will learn about the Bureau of Customs is that corruption is a Chameleon. Under a corrupt Boss, corruption thrives and is profitable in plain sight. Under an incorruptible Boss, corruption will still thrive by making business more difficult, processes longer, and ultimately expensive, one way or another. Good or bad, they blame the Boss and make him the excuse.

There is no doubt that Biazon and Lim strike fear if not hesitation in the minds of corrupt BOC personnel and those illegally transacting business at Customs. Unfortunately fear as we all know can be paralyzing and at the moment, it is paralyzing actual and potential transactions.

Right now even small entrepreneurs and ordinary people are reluctant and are being warned about sending “Balik-Bayan” boxes intended for the Christmas holidays because there is a high degree of certainty that these won’t clear customs until after Christmas.

On top of this, word and fear is beginning to spread about how difficult it is to transact business at Customs even for people using International Courier services because even they are being subjected to stringent screening and processing far beyond the norm.

With these early developments, Biazon and Lim will have to immediately device a very transparent and accessible system on-line, via telecoms as well as face-to-face, where importers can consult, inquire or deal with the Commissioner’s Office.

First and foremost, the system must be able to provide quick and accurate information to help importers regarding duties; taxes and services related to customs procedures. The system must show what the “customer” needs to have, the BOC flow process, forms and customer assistance contacts.

All these are URGENTLY needed at the Bureau of Customs because accessible information is the best medicine for disinformation, ignorance and fear. We all know that other agencies with similar problems effectively cut down corruption by showing the public “Easy steps to get your papers done”. 

If Biazon were to ask ordinary business people, the first complaint about the BOC is not corruption but the absence of a general blue book or valuation system that leads to corruption. The electronic or HARD COPY governing duties and taxes for any product is not available to the public. So any importer or exporter has to depend on what a “Broker” or Customs examiner says.

That old system now has a new term: Cloud Computation. The authorities pick numbers and values from the clouds while the Broker practically insures you go broke.

At this point, there is an undeclared race inside the walls of the Bureau of Customs. But the competitors are running in opposite directions. Biazon and Lim are rushing to clean up customs while the “competition” is pushing to dry up the business at BOC and force out the Dynamic Duo or force them to choose their battles.

By making information available and setting up “business centers” or BOC assistance centers manned by trustworthy staff and maybe even volunteers, Biazon and Lim can reduce both ignorance and fear of the BOC. Such an atmosphere of accessibility will also provide clients and the public a “second opinion” instead of being totally dependent on the “ press release” of brokers and corrupt BOC agents.

While it’s important to clean up the BOC from the inside, commissioner Biazon may want to fellowship with people outside the BOC at least once or twice a week. If he and Lim can’t get documents from the inside, I am sure that it will be a lot easier to get anecdotal and actual evidence on corrupt customs personnel.

While gathering information on the “new” customs, I already picked up tips about a particular BOC guy at the NAIA who uses “Cloud Computations” to force people to abandon personal belongings and product samples. Then there is the “hulidap” official who gets so much publicity from his busts that often end up nowhere.

Aside from fellowships, Biazon might want to publicize, even advertise the contact number of the BOC Ombudsman so people can write or call in their complaints. Finally, the BOC has to toughen up the requirements and accountability of brokers not just with their documentation but the conduct of business particularly in representing the BOC and overcharging their clients because all this ends up at the BOC’s expense.

Let us put an end to brokers badmouthing and accusing the BOC of corruption but are in fact simply making more money, not issuing receipts and then blaming all their sins on the Bureau of Customs.  

‘Pulis na utak wang-wang’

Those were the angry words of tricycle drivers in Lipa, Batangas as a police mobile car drove past them, lights on, blinkers flashing and its siren blaring!

Everyone immediately gave them room thinking it was a police emergency, only to realize that the mobile was escorting a local government official. This unfortunately is the “new way” of doing things. More and more politicians are now using police escorts on motorcycles or police cars to do the “wang-wang” for them so that no one can blame them.

This unfortunately was why drivers stopped giving way to ambulances because politicians started using them to travel at the speed of fright!

Hopefully, DILG Secretary Robredo will now understand why we need to make an example of some local officials. Dapat talaga may ma-sampolan!  

*      *      *

[email protected].