The city government of Puerto Princesa will provide the Bureau of Customs (BOC) space on which the customs agency can build its own permanent customshouse for the city’s sub-port.
Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina and Puerto Princesa city mayor Lucilo Bayron recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that awards to BOC a lot located at the Government Center and Nature’s Park (GCNP) in Barangay Sta. Monica.
The award is part of Task Force Government Center’s Resolution No. 08-20151, which recommends to the city mayor the allocation of lots within Block No. 7 of the GCNP to BOC and the Bureau of Animal Industry.
The Task Force Government Center is mandated to implement Presidential Proclamation No. 16 on preparing a development plan for the allocation of spaces or lots to government entities or agencies in Puerto Princesa.
Under the agreement, “BOC commits to introduce improvements and establish its office or initiate construction on the awarded lot within the period of one year from effectivity of this agreement.”
“Failure on the part of BOC to comply may result to revocation of this agreement at the discretion of the City Government,” the MOA added.
Moreover, the awarding of the lot needs the approval of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Puerto Princesa.
Puerto Princesa sub-port acting collector Alpha Grace Castro submitted a letter dated February 23 to BOC Internal Administration Group deputy commissioner officer-in-charge Exequiel Cempron for funding to finance the construction of a customs building or to make improvements to the awarded lot within the imposed deadline.
The sub-port of Puerto Princesa is one of the 16 BOC sub-ports that surpassed its 2015 target, having collected P182.1 million, 104% higher than its P89.3-million target.
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