THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected P757.406 billion in the first nine months of 2026, surpassing its revenue target by P8.913 billion as it strives for a historic P1-trillion collection goal by year-end.
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno rallied the bureau’s top officials to sustain the revenue momentum, intensify enforcement and crack down on corruption during the recently concluded Collectors’ Conference hosted by the Port of Davao.
The bureau’s January-to-September collections exceeded its P748.494-billion target and were P55.735 billion higher than the amount collected during the same period last year.
The bureau needs to collect P242.594 billion in the final three months of 2026 to hit its P1-trillion goal, requiring a monthly average of about P80.865 billion.
The conference brought together deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, service directors, district collectors, and other senior officials to assess the bureau’s performance, address operational challenges and align strategies for the remainder of the year.
Nepomuceno commended Customs personnel for exceeding revenue targets but stressed that the agency must push harder to deliver bigger results.
“We are still far from what we want to happen,” he said.
He reiterated his directive to expedite the auction and condemnation of seized and forfeited goods, including overstaying containers.
He warned that the bureau would continue to closely monitor operations and take appropriate action against personnel involved in corruption, unlawful conduct and other illicit activities.
Port of Davao District Collector Maita Acevedo, who hosted the conference, called on bureau officials to intensify revenue collection, facilitate legitimate trade and strengthen border protection while upholding the bureau’s principles of Integrity, Accountability and Modernization (IAM).
Acevedo stressed that reaching the P1-trillion milestone would require a collective effort from Customs personnel.
The conference also recognized ports and offices that met or exceeded their revenue targets, including the ports of San Fernando, Manila, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Batangas, Legazpi, Iloilo, Cebu, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Davao, Subic, Clark, Aparri and Limay.
The Ports of Manila, Cagayan de Oro and the Manila International Container Port (MICP) were also cited for their performance in public auctions, supporting efforts to dispose of seized and forfeited goods.
Special recognition went to offices and personnel pursuing legal action over delayed and abandoned balikbayan boxes, advancing accountability in cases involving luxury vehicle importations, and conducting a successful enforcement operation that resulted in the seizure of P1.428 billion worth of illicit vape products.
Among those recognized were the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service and the Enforcement and Security Service.
