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P50M LOST MONTHLY, BOC CLAIMS
We’re just enforcing law in balikbayan box inspections —Bert Lina
By KEITH RICHARD D. MARIANO, GMA News Online
(UPDATED 3:17 p.m.) The Bureau of Customs is simply implementing the law in the inspection of balikbayan boxes to address technical smuggling, Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina told GMA News Online on Monday.
In an interview, Lina said the government is losing P50 million a month in revenues due to technical smuggling carried out through balikbayan boxes, according to the Bureau of Customs.
"Customs isn't changing any of its policies except for properly implementing what the law says. If my predecessors were lax in implementing it, then I'm sorry, but I will do my job as Commissioner," Lina said.
"We estimate revenue losses from smuggling activities riding through balikbayan boxes to be at P50 million a month. That's a conservative estimate," he added.
Several lawmakers and government officials have raised questions about the implementation of a more stringent inspection of balikbayan boxes, with some claiming that such policy would require a specific law passed by the Congress.
"The Tariff and Customs Code clearly states that Customs is mandated to inspect the boxes, but we only do spot checks, otherwise it will cause port congestion. That is the existing law," Lina said.
The commissioner also allayed concerns of overseas Filipino workers about the possible theft and misplacement of several items in balikbayan boxes during such inspection.
"If your box arrives severely tampered or with missing items, then let us know so we can investigate because Customs is not the only agency involved in the process of sending balikbayan boxes," Lina said.
"You have the freight forwarders and the brokers as well. But we will assist you as necessary," he added.
The bureau earlier announced plans of implementing a more stringent inspection of balikbayan boxes, which some traders supposedly uses to ship items into the country without paying taxes and other duties.
Filipinos returning from abroad are only exempt from paying taxes and duties for bringing with them goods with an aggregate value of P10,000 under existing regulations, according to Customs.
Lina has expressed support to amending existing regulations to raise the amount exempt from taxation. -NB, GMA News
In an interview, Lina said the government is losing P50 million a month in revenues due to technical smuggling carried out through balikbayan boxes, according to the Bureau of Customs.
"Customs isn't changing any of its policies except for properly implementing what the law says. If my predecessors were lax in implementing it, then I'm sorry, but I will do my job as Commissioner," Lina said.
"We estimate revenue losses from smuggling activities riding through balikbayan boxes to be at P50 million a month. That's a conservative estimate," he added.
Several lawmakers and government officials have raised questions about the implementation of a more stringent inspection of balikbayan boxes, with some claiming that such policy would require a specific law passed by the Congress.
"The Tariff and Customs Code clearly states that Customs is mandated to inspect the boxes, but we only do spot checks, otherwise it will cause port congestion. That is the existing law," Lina said.
The commissioner also allayed concerns of overseas Filipino workers about the possible theft and misplacement of several items in balikbayan boxes during such inspection.
"If your box arrives severely tampered or with missing items, then let us know so we can investigate because Customs is not the only agency involved in the process of sending balikbayan boxes," Lina said.
"You have the freight forwarders and the brokers as well. But we will assist you as necessary," he added.
The bureau earlier announced plans of implementing a more stringent inspection of balikbayan boxes, which some traders supposedly uses to ship items into the country without paying taxes and other duties.
Filipinos returning from abroad are only exempt from paying taxes and duties for bringing with them goods with an aggregate value of P10,000 under existing regulations, according to Customs.
Lina has expressed support to amending existing regulations to raise the amount exempt from taxation. -NB, GMA News
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