Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno today mandated all District Collectors to strictly uphold discipline, honesty, and accountability as part of a sweeping commitment to transform the agency into a credible and high-performing institution.
The directive, issued during the 2nd Collectors Conference in Cebu City, underscores the BOC’s commitment to supporting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas agenda through good governance and integrity.
To institutionalize credibility across all Collection Districts, Commissioner Nepomuceno introduced several key reforms focusing on transparency and public trust. These include stricter performance assessments for personnel, stronger stakeholder engagement programs, and, notably, the destruction of seized goods in full public view, complete with simultaneous online livestreaming and full recording. These initiatives are designed to strengthen accountability and foster greater public confidence in the agency’s operations.
A significant point of focus is the crucial role of overseas Filipinos. The Commissioner highlighted the establishment of the Balikbayan and OFW Action Center (BOAC), a dedicated unit tasked with ensuring that all balikbayan box shipments are processed fairly, efficiently, and with the utmost care, in recognition of the vital contributions of overseas Filipinos to the national economy.
“Our mission goes beyond institutional reforms,” Commissioner Nepomuceno stated. “It is ultimately about serving the people and contributing to national progress. We are building a Customs that is credible, accountable, and worthy of the people’s trust.”
The conference also served to recognize exemplary performance. The Ports of Aparri, Clark, Limay, Davao, and Batangas were commended as top performers in revenue collection for successfully achieving their targets for the months of July and August 2025. This recognition underscores that the commitment to reform is directly translating into improved organizational performance.
