Smuggling activities in southern provinces have prompted the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to open satellite offices there, BoC Commissioner Napoleon Morales said Saturday in an interview.

At the same time, the satellite offices enhance the trade of goods in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) region, he said.

“We opened the stations in two areas in Palawan primarily for transport of persons and goods. Before, there was no customs in the area. We had no facilities here and there was informal trade. Now, we can formalize trading,” Morales said.

Customs, Immigration, Quarantine Security (CIQS) station offices were opened in Rio Tuba and Brooks Point in Palawan and also in Saraggani province aimed at preventing human trafficking and smuggling of goods.

In the past, the entry of goods from neighboring countries in these areas had not been reportedly taxed and the areas were used as backdoor channels.

“This is why we need a CIQS. Before, this was being used as a wide backdoor (for illegal activities). Now, we would be able to monitor it and we would be able to block it,” he said.

As a result, the traders in the region will no longer also have to travel a long distance to Manila since they can exchange commodities directly in Palawan, which may result to much lower prices of goods, Morales said.

The general merchandise items being traded include cooking oil from Malaysia and goats from the Philippines.