BOC hopeful on hitting 2024 collection goal

MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is hopeful that it will meet its collection target next year.

Under the proposed Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing (BESF) for 2024, the BOC is tasked to collect more than PHP1 trillion.

Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said he is banking on improved economic conditions to help improve trade.

“I’m confident [the] government is doing its job and [in] some of the economic meetings na inattendan ko, very optimistic naman ang ating secretaries na kumbaga, bababa ‘yung mga interest rate. Maganda ang magiging projections for next year (I’m confident the government is doing its job and in some of the economic meetings that I attended, our secretaries are very optimistic that the interest rates will decrease. The projections for next year will be good),” Rubio said in a recent interview.

“So hopeful ako na with that, the economy gets better, ‘yung trade (So I’m hopeful that with that, the economy gets better, the trade) will also get better,” he added.

The BOC exceeded its collection target for November.

Based on preliminary data, Rubio said last month’s collection amounted to PHP75.34 billion, higher than its revenue collection target of PHP74.25 billion.

BOC’s year-to-date collection of PHP813.65 billion has also surpassed the PHP795.66 billion target by 2.2 percent.

“I entered, I became commissioner mid-February. I hope if I start the year ng buo until December at mastart ko sya, mamemeet [ang] target (I entered, I became commissioner mid-February. I hope if I start the year until December, I’ll meet [the] target),” Rubio said. — Anna Leah Gonzales (PNA)