Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto has given firm marching orders to all district collectors of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to defend the integrity of collections and the country’s borders, as every peso raised is a lifeline for every Filipino’s future.
“The BOC is more than the landing point of trade in our country. It is also the starting point of our nation’s progress,” the Finance Chief said during the BOC Collectors Conference on September 17, 2025 in Mactan, Cebu.
“Kaya mahalaga na mahigpit at tapat tayong nagbabantay. For a porous border punctures our coffers, creates revenue leaks, and takes away funds that should have been rightfully spent for the future of our people,” he added.
The BOC is the second-largest revenue-collecting agency in the country, tasked to raise PHP 1.06 trillion this year, according to the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing (BESF).
This is equivalent to collecting roughly PHP 3 billion a day. That means 23 centavos of every revenue peso and 17 centavos of every budget peso spent by the government will be funded by the BOC.
“If all government activities under the sun carry a price tag, then 17 percent of each one of them will be paid by you. This makes you the unsung heroes of the bureaucracy—and I stand proudly with you,” Secretary Recto said.
The Finance Chief reminded collectors that their collection target is not a simple ledger entry, but the lifeline of programs that directly affect Filipino families.
Thus, the success of the government’s entire socioeconomic strategy hinges on the dedicated efforts of each BOC personnel in every section and in every port.
“Kapag may nakalusot na iligal, may hanapbuhay na nawawala; kapag may undervaluation, may silid-aralan na hindi natatapos. That’s how crucial your job is for our people,” Secretary Recto stressed.
He underscored the real price of revenue leaks in the nation’s future, illustrating that revenue loss from 50,000 sacks of smuggled rice, amounting to PHP 36.7 million, can buy 22,518 bags of fertilizer that can nurture 11.7 square kilometers of rice land.
A smuggled Bugatti Chiron, with an estimated revenue loss of PHP 168 million, can fund the construction of 84 much-needed classrooms for public school students.
Meanwhile, revenue loss from 50,000 liters of gasoline, amounting to PHP 789,000, can buy one Jollibee breakfast meal for 12,725 children under the care of the DSWD.
Secretary Recto thus urged BOC collectors to exercise accountability and integrity in guarding the nation’s coffers.
“Hinding hindi for sale ang integridad. So for those who try to hold the line with integrity—every single day—I stand even prouder with you,” he added.
Secretary Recto also vowed the Department of Finance’s (DOF) full support for the BOC’s modernization and anti-corruption drive, urging collectors to continue condemnation activities that send a clear warning to smugglers that their days are numbered.
“I also urge you to think of creative solutions that will transform the Bureau into a truly world-class customs agency,” he added.
He thanked Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno for his dedication and expressed full confidence in his leadership and initiatives, expecting not just to meet but to exceed collection targets this year and beyond.
For his part, Commissioner Nepomuceno laid down marching orders to all district collectors, including the conduct of regular performance assessments with accountability for those who fail to meet targets, the eradication of the “white paper culture” to ensure transparency in all transactions, and the strengthening of Customs Care operations to deliver efficient and consistent service.
He also directed that the destruction of seized goods must be thorough and complete, with all activities livestreamed on YouTube to reinforce public trust.
To further improve coordination, he mandated constant assemblies and open communication channels to ensure timely and accurate reporting across all units.
These directives, among others, are designed to fortify integrity, tighten accountability, and elevate the credibility of the Bureau of Customs in the eyes of the Filipino people.
The Conference was attended by the district collectors of the Port of San Fernando, Aparri, Legaspi, Manila, Manila International Container Port (MICP), Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Batangas, Clark, Subic, Limay, Cebu, Tacloban, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro (CDO), Davao, Zamboanga, and Surigao.
Present during the event were BOC senior officials led by Commissioner Nepomuceno, Chief of Staff and Undersecretary Maria Luwalhati C. Dorotan Tiuseco, Undersecretary Charlito Martin R. Mendoza, and Assistant Secretary Euvimil Nina Asuncion.
The DOF team is set to visit the Port of Cebu and the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Regional District Office in Cebu City for a walkthrough of its facilities, systems, and initiatives.
Secretary Recto will also lead the Visayas leg of the Philippine Economic Briefing in Cebu to update investors on the country’s economic outlook and investment opportunities, with the end goal of attracting more investors into the Philippines, which will create more jobs and drive economic growth.
