CEBU CITY – The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) has lauded the decision of Bureau of Customs (BoC) Commissioner Angelito A. Alvarez in reverting back to the Office of the District Collector the issuance of clearance of imported goods. The move effectively cuts red tape which has been a lingering problem beleaguering businessmen in past years.

In a letter sent to Alvarez, CCCI President Samuel L. Chioson said his group “wholeheartedly lauds” his (Alvarez’s) effort in facilitating said directive as such is seen to result in the facilitation of trade activities.

In his memorandum dated last July 12, Alvarez ordered that the particular task of the Office of the Commissioner (Ocom) in issuing clearances on imported goods bound for Cebu and other ports of the country be reverted back to the respective customs district collector pending detailed policy formation, and in the exigency of service and trade facilitation.

“All memoranda requiring clearances from the Office of the Commissioner prior to release of various commodities are hereby temporarily suspended, and reverted to the concerned Office of the District Collectors for proper monitoring, verification and ensuring compliance with existing customs laws, rules and regulations pertinent thereto,” read Alvarez’s memorandum.

This was particularly welcomed by CCCI members who are also importers.

“The reorganization of customs operations would certainly provide ease in the processing of commodities including post-entry audits, among others,” Chioson told Alvarez.

Chioson attached to his letter his communication to then Department of Finance (DoF) Secretary Margarito B. Teves dated May 15, 2009 where he underlined the CCCI’s complaint that the issuance of clearance of imported goods by the Office of the Commissioner of Customs based in Manila is an additional burden to importers particularly with regards to expenses and delays in the release of shipments from the Cebu International Port.

The BoC is under the supervision of the DoF.

In that letter to Teves, Chioson brought to the attention of the former finance secretary some concerns that the CCCI members have raised with regard to BoC’s trade facilitation services, including the clearance requirement.

Importers, Chioson said, made a request to then Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales in a letter dated Jan. 22, 2009 that instead doing it in Manila, processing of clearance be done in Cebu as this would reduce the cost of doing business through speedy trade facilitation service.

They suggested that since an Ocom (Office of the Commissioner) Cebu Office was created at that time and that they were still in possession of all documents necessary for the valuation and classification of shipments with the assistance of the Post-Audit Entry Group (PAEG), such office be utilized to facilitate the processing of import clearances in Cebu.