THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is stepping up its push for AI-driven, paperless and digitally connected border systems as Asia-Pacific economies seek faster and more secure trade.
The BOC reaffirmed its commitment to Customs modernization, trade facilitation, and stronger supply-chain connectivity during the Second Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP2) recently held in Dalian, China.
The meeting brought together APEC economies and key stakeholders to exchange practices and strengthen cooperation on faster, more transparent and secure cross-border procedures.
Key discussions focused on the use of artificial intelligence, Smart Customs and digitalization in Customs operations, as well as paperless trade, Single Window systems, e-commerce, Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs and supply-chain security.
The initiatives aim to reduce trade friction while maintaining effective border controls and protecting supply chains from security risks.
Representing the Philippines at the APEC meeting were Collector Wilnora Cawile, deputy collector for operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport; Trisha Lorraine Aguasa, acting head of the External Affairs Office of the Internal Administration Group; and Atty. Emeriza Potenciano, collector of Customs I for the Post Clearance Audit Group.
Under Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, the BOC said it would continue working with APEC economies and the private sector to develop more modern and responsive Customs systems.
The bureau said the effort supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to make legitimate trade more efficient and seamless while strengthening enforcement at the country’s borders.
The BOC’s APEC engagement comes as Customs administrations across the region increasingly turn to digital tools and interconnected systems to facilitate legitimate trade, particularly as cross-border e-commerce continues to expand.
The bureau said its modernization efforts will seek to strike a balance between speeding up legitimate shipments and maintaining effective border control, with technology playing a central role in achieving both objectives. WILLIAM DEPASUPIL
BOC’s participation in the APEC Customs Procedures meeting comes as the agency accelerates a broader modernization program to replace fragmented and paper-heavy processes with a more integrated, data-driven Customs system.
The APEC discussions come as the BOC accelerates a wider modernization program centered on automation, paperless processing and data integration. The bureau is developing an AI-enabled Customs Processing System (CPS) to replace its legacy E2M platform, while pursuing a National Single Window to electronically connect Customs with other agencies involved in import and export clearances.
Also, the BOC is building a Customs Data Lake and expanding digital services such as the OneClient Portal, electronic payment systems, the Electronic Certificate of Payment and Electronic Air Waybill. It has also extended the registration validity of importers, exporters, and customs brokers to three years to reduce repetitive transactions and red tape.
The bureau says the modernization effort is intended to achieve a dual objective: move legitimate trade faster while using better data and digital tools to strengthen border control and compliance.
Importantly, the BOC’s modernization push is being paired with enforcement. The agency said its objective is not simply to move shipments faster but to use better data and digital systems to identify high-risk transactions while facilitating legitimate trade.
The bureau has framed these reforms under Nepomuceno’s Integrity, Accountability and Modernization (IAM) movement, which combines digital transformation with measures intended to improve transparency, compliance and accountability.
The push has also gained regional recognition. Earlier this month, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN Escap) selected the BOC to showcase the Philippines’ experience in Customs digitalization and cross-border paperless trade in capacity-building activities for Pacific Island countries.
