Customs Cebu collection exceeds target by P20M

CEBU CITY, Philippines - Despite the tremendous drop of the volume of importation by 34 percent for the month of May 2008, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Cebu posted a revenue collection surplus of almost P20 million. In his report to District Collector Ricardo Belmonte, Florante Ri-carte, assistant chief of assessment, said that the target for May was P440 million, but the district was able to collect more than P459 million. Ricarte said that the volume of importation decreased every month since last year but the Port of Cebu was able to raise collection by strictly computing the correct duties and taxes. Compared to the revenue in May 2007, the May 2008 collection is about P84 million higher or 22.40 percent more than last year’s figure. The surplus in the May 2008 collections has raised the January-May collections to more than P2.1 billion or up by P194 million as against the target of P1.9 billion for the first five months of the year. Ricarte said that the January-May 2008 collection is higher by P292,091 or 15.86 percent compared to the same period last year. The Port of Cebu also covers the Sub-port of Dumaguete and Sub-port of Mactan. Daily collection Chief of Assessment Carlos Corsiga said there were only 21 working days in May, which is why the Port of Cebu had an average daily target of P20.95 million. The Port of Cebu achieved the P20-million surplus by collecting more than the P21.8 million daily target. Corsiga said that regular big importers, such as National Power Corp. and San Miguel Corp., have also helped maintain collection efficiency. The Sub-port of Mactan, posted a collection of P62.1 million as of May 26, which is about P17.1 million higher that the P44.97 million target for the month, said Chief of Assessment Nelly Ochoa. Ochoa said the total surplus collection will be known after the final computation. She is optimistic that the collection of the Sub-port of Mactan for May will be double the target. She said that the Sub-Port of Mactan has collected about P59.4 million for January, P51.6 million for February, P45.4 million for March and P72.2 million for April. She said the target for June is about P87.2 million but the Sub-port hopes to collect P120 million because of the expected big importations by different firms. The regular top importers at the Sub-Port of Mactan are Digitel Telecommunications, General Milling Corp., Alpha Oil Mills, HP Computers and Apo Cement Corp. - Sun.Star