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The Bureau of Customs is creating a Commissioner’s Strategic Advisory Office
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The body will provide policy, operational, and strategic decision-making support to the Customs BOC head
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Created under Customs Memorandum Order No. 01-206, CSAO will give recommendations on customs operations, border security, and trade facilitation
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It will not have enforcement powers
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The composition, staffing pattern, and internal structure of the CSAO will be determined and approved by the commissioner
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is creating a dedicated office that will serve as an advisory body for the commissioner in making strategic and data-based decisions and policies on customs operations, border security, and trade facilitation.
The Commissioner’s Strategic Advisory Office (CSAO), created under Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 01-2026, will operate under the direct authority and supervision of the Commissioner of Customs.
It will serve as an advisory body for the consolidation of intelligence, enforcement, and operational reports as well as the generation of actionable insights for the BOC chief.
CSAO will have no enforcement authority and all the operational actions arising from its analyses will be subject to the commissioner’s approval.
The CSAO will also serve as BOC’s institutional mechanism for the integration, evaluation, and dissemination of operational information to aid decision-making, planning, and policy formulation.
According to the CMO, with BOC’s threefold mandate of revenue collection, border protection, and trade facilitation, “there arises a need for a dedicated office to provide consolidated advisory support to the Office of the Commissioner.”
“Given the evolving dynamics of global trade and technological advancements, it is essential that the Bureau enhance its capacity to interpret complex data and transform intelligence into actionable insights,” the CMO added.
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In particular, the CSAO will help the commissioner with analysis of submitted reports and data on intelligence, investigations, and operational information to identify emerging risks and trends, and recommend appropriate actions to strengthen data-driven governance and operational readiness across the customs bureau.
The sources of information and reports will include BOC groups and customs districts, the Customs Operations Center, field units, stakeholders, other government counterparts, foreign counterparts, and confidential informants.
Relatedly, CSAO will have the authority to require the submission of documents, reports, or data from BOC offices necessary for analyses and other matters in relation to its function.
The CMO noted though that while the CSAO should exercise due diligence in its analytical processes, it will not bear responsibility for deficiencies, errors, or outcomes arising solely from inadequate, false, or incomplete source data beyond its reasonable capacity to verify.
The composition, staffing pattern, and internal structure of the CSAO will be determined and approved by the commissioner.
