Consistent with the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., of improving revenue collection and strengthening border protection, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) concluded the first month of 2026 by surpassing its revenue target for January, and successfully conducting several operations against large-scale and high-value smuggling activities.
For January 2026, the BOC collected P80.744 billion and exceeded its January Revenue Target by P513 Million, reflecting a 100.6% revenue collection efficiency.
This performance also marked a P1.490 billion increase, or 1.9 percent growth, compared to the P79.254 billion collected in January 2025.
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the results reflect the collective efforts of Customs personnel and stakeholders committed to compliance and reform, aligned with the Administration’s drive for economic stability and public safety.
“We are committed to sustaining this level of efficiency.”
“Exceeding our January target is a strong affirmation of the hard work of our Customs personnel and the growing cooperation of the trade community. We are committed to sustaining this level of efficiency to support the President’s economic agenda and to exhibit the BOC’s ability of delivering reliable public service,” Nepomuceno said.
While revenue performance sets a positive tone for the year, the customs chief likewise emphasized that revenue gains are strengthened by firm, consistent, and continuous enforcement activities.
Throughout January 2026, the BOC carried out these sustained enforcement operations nationwide, resulting in 66 successful apprehensions with a combined estimated value of P886.8 million in seized contraband and smuggled products, and targeting illicit activities that threaten public safety, fair trade, and government revenues.
The largest seizures recorded during the month involved dangerous drugs valued at over P309 million, intercepted through intelligence-driven operations, including the seizure of illicit drugs worth P114.566 million found concealed in a shipment declared as malachite stones.
This was followed by the seizure of illicit cigarettes and tobacco products worth more than P209 million, highlighted by the January 28, 2026 raid of an illegal cigarette manufacturing facility in Pampanga, where locally produced cigarettes were found to have been manufactured using smuggled machinery and raw materials.
Customs enforcement units also confiscated vehicles and vessels valued at approximately P143 million during its January operations against unlawful importation, as well as electronics worth over P221 million, which included the seizure of undeclared mobile phones valued at P1.68 million at the Port of Cebu during the same month.
Other enforcement actions covered unlawfully imported agricultural products, wildlife and natural resources, food items, and other regulated goods that pose risks to consumers, local industries, and fair competition.
Nepomuceno reiterated the Bureau’s commitment to protecting the public while recognizing the role of partner agencies and frontliners in enforcement efforts.
“We remain fully committed to protecting our borders while recognizing the dedication of our intelligence and enforcement units as well as other partner agencies.”
“We remain fully committed to protecting our borders while recognizing the dedication of our intelligence and enforcement units as well as other partner agencies such as the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Highway Patrol Group (HPG),” he stressed.
“Our enforcement is primarily focused on sustained and intelligence-led action that protects communities, supports legitimate trade, and strengthens public trust in Customs,” Nepomuceno added.
As the Bureau moves forward in 2026, the BOC remains committed to sustaining collection efficiency while intensifying intelligence-based and high-impact enforcement operations, in support of the national government’s priorities on economic stability, public safety, and good governance.
