By Genivi Factao

The Bureau of Customs disclosed that 50.08 million metric tons of assorted products entered the Philippine ports amounting to P1.79 trillion last year, down 2 percent from P1.827 trillion in 2006.

Despite the lower value of imports, collections however grew 6.2 percent or over P12 billion to P210.5 billion.

"We fell short of the P228 billion target, we admit,— but this does not dampen the fact that the bureau out-did its performance year on year and that everyone—from the high-level management down to examiners and appraisers in all ports— heeded the call of the President to rev up collection efforts," Customs chief Napoleon Morales said.

"Despite the odds that macro-economic assumptions that pegged the 2007 target did not materialize, we were able to hit record-high collections, with average expenditure of 58 centavos for every P100 collected for the government coffers," he added.

The BOC hurdles in achieving the goal include the strengthening of the peso against the dollar, and the reduced rates of tariff imposed on the most commonly imported goods that is brought about by international trade agreements.

"Compounding the BOC handicap is that imports worth P664.9 billion were non-dutiable, roughly a third of inbound shipments," BOC said in the 2007 commissioner’s report.

Of the dutiable items, oil products valued P386.7 billion, up 2.6 percent from P376.899 billion in 2006.

Non oil goods were valued at P741.48 billion, up 9.1 percent against P679.892 billion a year earlier.

Of the total volume of imports, 10.97 million MT were conferred duty free status, with 22.49 million MT in non-oil dutiable and 16.60 million MT were comprised of oil products.

The volume of crude declined 2.4 percent to P11.380 billion against P11.659 billion. The petro product imports rose 21.6 percent to P5.228 billion from P4.299 billion in 2006.

Of the total value of imports, crude amounted to P249. 848 billion, lower by 0.3 percent while petroleum products were worth P136.855 billion, up against P126.385 billion in 2006.

Last year, only 4 ports managed to meet their assigned target while the 11 ports failed.

The 4 ports were San Fernando, which collected P1.021 billion, up P36 million against the goal; Legaspi, which had P36 million, surpassing its target by P12 million; Cagayan de Oro, collected P2.631 billion, posting a surplus of P288 million, and Davao, with P1.585 billion.