Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno called on Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials to sustain the agency’s historic revenue momentum and intensify efforts in enforcement, accountability and operational efficiency as he convened key officials during the recently concluded Collectors’ Conference hosted by the Port of Davao.
The conference highlighted the Bureau’s record-breaking revenue performance, with collections reaching ₱757.406 billion from January to September 2026, surpassing the ₱748.494-billion target by ₱8.913 billion.
The Bureau also collected ₱55.735 billion more than it did during the same period in 2025, keeping it firmly on track toward its ambitious ₱1-trillion revenue goal for the year.
Gathering deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, service directors, district collectors and other senior officials, the conference served as a venue to review progress on priority deliverables, assess operational performance and align strategies for the remainder of the year.
Hosted by the Port of Davao under the leadership of District Collector Maita Acevedo, the conference reinforced the Bureau’s collective commitment in achieving its targets and advancing institutional reforms.
In her opening remarks, Acevedo encouraged Customs leaders to intensify their efforts in revenue collection, trade facilitation, and border protection while remaining guided by the Bureau’s principles of Integrity, Accountability and Modernization (IAM).
“Every peso collected reflects the Bureau’s responsibility to the Filipino people.”
She also challenged all collection districts to contribute toward the Bureau’s shared goal of reaching the historic ₱1-trillion revenue milestone, emphasizing that every peso collected reflects the Bureau’s responsibility to the Filipino people.
Nepomuceno commended the men and women of the BOC for exceeding collection targets and contributing to the agency’s strong performance.
“We are still far from what we want to happen. Tuloy lang tayo,” he said, urging Customs personnel to remain focused on delivering greater results for the country.
Nepomuceno likewise reiterated his standing directive to expedite the auction and condemnation of seized and forfeited goods and overstaying containers to ensure their timely disposition in accordance with law.
“We will take appropriate action against those found engaging in corruption, unlawful conduct, or other illicit activities.”
He also renewed his call for integrity across the organization, warning officials and employees that the Bureau will continue to strictly monitor operations and take appropriate action against those found engaging in corruption, unlawful conduct, or other illicit activities.
The conference likewise recognized ports and offices that demonstrated outstanding performance in revenue collection, enforcement, cargo disposition, and legal action. Recognized for meeting and exceeding their collection targets were the Ports of San Fernando, Manila, NAIA, Batangas, Legazpi, Iloilo, Cebu, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Davao, Subic, Clark, Aparri, and Limay.
The Port of Manila, Port of Cagayan de Oro, and Manila International Container Port (MICP) were likewise recognized as among the top-performing ports in the conduct of public auctions.
Special recognition was also given to offices and personnel involved in pursuing legal action on delayed and abandoned balikbayan boxes, advancing accountability in cases involving luxury vehicle importations, and leading the successful enforcement operation against ₱1.428 billion worth of illicit vape products, including the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS)-MICP and the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS).
The gathering concluded with a renewed commitment from Customs leaders nationwide to sustain strong revenue growth, strengthen enforcement operations, uphold accountability, and advance reforms in support of the Bureau’s mandate and the country’s development goals.
