By Genivi Factao

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) sees the new all-scan law for shipments bound to the US as an opportunity for the Philippines to have better cargo volume since the country’s ports will be ready and compliant before 2012.

Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the all-scan requirement of US means stiffer competition among countries. He said the Philippines is now in the better position as installation of scanning machines in all of the country’s major ports is almost complete.

"With that compliance, we will be able to be one of the major trade destinations particularly from areas that will have difficulty complying— that will result to larger volume and better revenue generation for the agency," Morales said.

The BOC has yet to finalize the installation of its 30th or the last non- intrusive x-ray scanning machine.

The BOC early last year planned to deploy 2 machines in each of the 15 ports. However, there were ports which require more machines, especially in Manila, which prompted the BOC to analyze the ports which entails more machines.

"I already assured the US that we will comply and they have expressed their happiness," Morales said.

He said the BOC have constant contacts with the US Customs and Border Protection Agency and has assured them of the country’s compliance, adding that he already forwarded several measures to ensure smooth trade with the country’s largest trading partner.

"The US is also set to deploy personnel to put their GPS-enabled seals on scanned shipments that could be monitored by its Department of Homeland Security. In the event that the seal is broken, they would know," Morales said.

"On our part, we will put our usual Customs seal if the shipment is cleared for transit," he said.

Meanwhile, BoC’s x-ray team has seized a 40-footer container van loaded with 64 motorcycles suspected to be smuggled from China amounting to about P2.5 million.

"This is a clear case of technical smuggling. The shipment consists of undeclared and misdeclared items both in the import entry and in the packing list," said Atty. Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, chief of the Customs x-ray scanning project.

"Also, there has been a misapplication of clearance with the value reference information system as the items were declared to be in knockdown form not in completely built form," she added.

Morales attributed the increase in collection last year to the use of x-ray machines which helped the BOC apprehend underdeclared or misdeclared goods.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is seeking for the immediate release of the remaining P1 billion from the bond floatation agreement it signed last year with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

It can be recalled that PPA entered a P2-billion bond floatation agreement with its joint issue manager and lead joint lead underwriter, DBP and First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC) to be able to fund the development, modernization and expansion of ports all over the country.