Customs Exceeds July Target Amid Strict Assessment, Port Performance Boost

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected roughly P85.77 billion last month, exceeding its July collection goal by P3.77 billion amid tighter assessment and as ports heeded the agency’s order to improve performance. Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the agency surpassed its revenue collection target of P82 billion last month, continuing its streak of surpluses. “All port collectors support our call for BOC to perform better,” he told The STAR in a Viber message. Nepomuceno said the agency collects around P3.8 billion to P4.2 billion on average daily. “Well, the assessment is very strict. We monitor it. The rate of assessment, we monitor everything,” he said. In the same month, the temporary suspension of excise tax on kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas linked to the oil price shock was lifted on July 8 after the average Dubai crude oil price fell below the $80-per-barrel threshold, triggering the automatic reinstatement of the tax. Asked about the impact of the peso hitting its all-time low of P61.847 against the dollar, Nepomuceno said the Development Budget Coordination Committee is already considering this unless it “goes or drops beyond the assumption.” The BOC earlier said it saw gains from the weaker peso. Aside from this, Nepomuceno said the BOC is preparing to dispose of about 200 seized vehicles valued at roughly P500 million, following the turnover of P205.02 million in revenues from the sale of forfeited luxury cars. “Ang instructions ko ay every two weeks we continue selling (My instruction is to continue selling every two weeks)… It will take a long time because it involves 200 units,” he said. The BOC has raised P340 million from the sale of seized vehicles since the start of the year, he said. The agency is tasked to collect P1.01 trillion for 2026.