Palace hopes BOC’s proposed P29.9B budget will be restored

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday expressed hope that the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) proposed P29.9-billion budget under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP) would be restored after it was slashed to P5.9 billion during budget deliberations.

At a briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the original allocation would help the BOC strengthen its anti-smuggling operations, including acquiring equipment and machinery to enhance border security.

READ: Customs bureau seen beating July revenue goal

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“Hopefully, the proposed budget for the BOC will be approved as is,” she said.

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Castro urged lawmakers to consider the agency’s funding requirements as Congress deliberates on the proposed 2027 national budget, particularly its need for equipment and machinery to combat smuggling.

“We know that the BOC, under the leadership of Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, has been producing very good results. It has made numerous seizures of smuggled goods and illegal drugs, while consistently collecting duties and taxes,” she added.

She also said the executive department’s proposed allocation for the BOC represented what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his administration believed the agency needed.

“The administration also supports the BOC’s position that a higher budget is needed for agencies that are doing the work,” she added.

In a report dated October 5, the BOC said it collected a record-high P757.4 billion in the first nine months of the year, exceeding its nine-month target of P748.4 billion by P8.913 billion. /mcm