THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has created a special task force to monitor the country's oil inventory level amid uncertainties over the expanding war in the Middle East and allegations of widespread hoarding of petroleum products even before scheduled fuel price increases take effect.
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said Monday he has instructed all 17 Customs ports in the country to strictly comply with the president's directive to track oil importations and assess the inflow of fuel imports.
Nepomuceno said Oil Inventory Level (OIL) Task Force will ensure data accuracy and strengthen coordination between Customs and the Department of Energy (DOE), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and other concerned government agencies.
The task force will be headed by Allen Dela Cruz, with Victor Pablo Trinidad of the Customs Legal Service as member.
Nepomuceno said oil import flows need to be monitored to ensure that government authorities receive accurate information “given the current geopolitical developments.”
The task force will inspect and oversee the monitoring of oil depots, bulk storage terminals, and other petroleum storage facilities.
The group’s reports will provide the Office of the Commissioner with situational updates and guide policy or operational responses.
The creation of the task force is also expected to strengthen the bureau's implementation of the Fuel Marking Program, a key measure in detecting fuel smuggling, ensuring transparency in fuel distribution, and promoting fair competition in the oil industry.
In 2025, the bureau was able to mark 21.102 billion liters of fuel and generated P247.12 billion in tax revenue.
The Fuel Marking Program, jointly implemented by the BOC and the BIR, monitors all locally refined finished oil products to ensure correct payment of corresponding excise taxes and value-added tax (VAT).
It covers all petroleum products that are refined, manufactured, or imported into the Philippines that are subject to duties and taxes.
Petroleum products that do not have the official marker or have the marker but are diluted beyond the acceptable percentage will be presumed to have been withdrawn to avoid paying taxes.
