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New protocol sets out intelligence sharing, coordinated screening, and joint secondary inspection procedures for Customs and Immigration
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SOP was developed during the agencies’ first-ever joint training program held August 24-28 at Heritage Hotel Manila
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Initiative supports President Marcos’s directive for a whole-of-government approach to border security
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) have developed a Proposed Joint Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that establishes an enhanced framework for coordinated border operations between the country’s two frontline border agencies.
The proposed SOP lays out specific protocols covering intelligence sharing, coordinated screening, inter-agency handover, and coordinated secondary inspection, among other mechanisms designed to improve operational efficiency and information exchange between BOC and BI personnel, BOC said in a statement.
The framework emerged as a key outcome of the BOC-BI Coordinated Border Operations Training, a five-day program held from August 24 to 28, 2026 at the Heritage Hotel Manila — the first joint training initiative conducted by the two agencies.
The training was designed to strengthen coordination and build the knowledge and competencies of BOC and BI personnel in carrying out their respective mandates in border management. Participants examined Customs and Immigration laws, operational procedures, and risk management mechanisms essential to securing the country’s borders while keeping legitimate trade and travel moving.
Sessions covered each agency’s core functions before moving into Integrated Border Management and Coordination modules, which focused on risk assessment, intelligence sharing, watchlist verification, and referral processes between the two bureaus.
BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the training reflects the agency’s commitment to employee welfare through skills development, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to pursue a whole-of-government approach to governance.
Officials described the training as a foundation for sustained institutional cooperation between the two agencies, with BOC and BI reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening border management and preparing frontline personnel for evolving challenges in border security, enforcement, and trade and travel facilitation.
