Reshuffle affects 2 top BOC collectors, 64 others

The reassignment of personnel, including the district collectors of Manila International Container Port (MICP) and Port of Manila (POM), was ordered by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III after they failed to meet their March revenue target. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has implemented a major reshuffle involving 66 personnel, including heads of two prime ports in Manila.

The reassignment of personnel, including the district collectors of Manila International Container Port (MICP) and Port of Manila (POM), was ordered by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III after they failed to meet their March revenue target.

Lawyer Erastus Sandino Austria, former district collector of Port of Davao, officially assumed as new district collector of Port of Manila replacing lawyer Vener S. Baquiran who has been transferred to the Compliance Monitoring Unit (CMU).

Meanwhile, lawyer Lilibeth S. Sandag of the Revenue Collection Monitoring Group (RCMG) is now the new district collector of the Port of Clark. She replaced Maritess T. Martin who was named new district collector of the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

Former MICP collector lawyer Balmyrson M. Valdez has been designated to head the Legal Service of the RCMG while lawyer Yasser Ismail Abbas is now the director of the RCMG Financial Service.

Export Coordination Division chief lawyer Romalino G. Valdez of Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group will fill in the vacated position of Austria as district collector of Port of Davao.

Aside from Austria and Martin, Wivina B. Pumatong of sub-port of Mactan assumed as the district collector of Port of Iloilo.

“I have given Austria and Martin bigger responsibilities to head the major ports since they are consistently hitting their targets with huge surpluses since I assumed as Commissioner,” said Customs chief Isidro Lapena in a statement.

The POM and MICP collected only PHP5.776 billion and PHP12.625 billion which is 14.9 percent and 9.28 percent lower than the target, respectively.

On the other hand, the BOC chief noted that the district collectors of Port of Zamboanga and Ninoy Aquino International Airport will not be affected by this recent reshuffling since they assumed office mid-March only.

“Their revenue performance in April will determine whether they will stay in their position as district collectors,” Lapeña added.