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The Bureau of Customs has officially started the National Time Release Study that will measure the actual time it takes to clear and release shipments at the ports
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Developed by the World Customs Organization, the NTRS will provide a data-driven approach to identify operational bottlenecks across Customs, trade regulatory agencies, and private sector stakeholders
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The conduct of the NTRS is part of the Philippine Trade Facilitation Committee Roadmap and in compliance with World Trade Organization-Trade Facilitation Agreement commitments
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has officially started the National Time Release Study (NTRS) that will measure the actual time it takes to clear and release shipments at the ports.
Developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO), the NTRS will provide a data-driven approach to identify operational bottlenecks across Customs, trade regulatory agencies, and private sector stakeholders, the BOC said in a statement.
The agency said the study will guide evidence-based reforms aimed at reducing delays, cutting trade costs, and improving transparency and predictability for importers and exporters with regard to the release and clearance process.
The BOC will use the findings to guide targeted digital reforms, optimize regulatory frameworks, and deepen stakeholder collaboration in support of more efficient trade facilitation.
“By moving goods more efficiently, the country stands to lower storage and logistics expenses, help stabilize market prices, and strengthen investor confidence through a more competitive and resilient supply chain,” the BOC noted.
It added that the rollout of the NTRS marks the beginning of a coordinated effort among BOC, trade regulatory government agencies, and private sector stakeholders, with capacity-building support from the WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program funded by the United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
“The NTRS helps us see what needs fixing; it removes the guesswork; it allows agencies to take concrete, data-driven action,” Finance undersecretary and Philippine Trade Facilitation Committee (PTFC) Chair Atty. Charlito Martin R. Mendoza said in a speech during the launching of the NTRS on July 3.
The conduct of the NTRS is part of the PTFC Roadmap, an action plan containing the short- and medium- term activities of the PTFC that would lead to the provision of a world-class international trade gateway.
The PTFC was created in 2021 to enable the Philippines to comply with its World Trade Organization-Trade Facilitation Agreement commitments.
BOC deputy commissioner for Internal Administration Group Michael Fermin, meanwhile, said, “With the transformation of our trade environment comes the imperative not only to move goods faster but also to build a system that is smarter, more transparent, and more responsive to the needs of our stakeholders.
“Today’s launch is a milestone, as it sends a strong message that we are serious in fulfilling our commitment under the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement.”
Even prior to the NTRS, the BOC had conducted TRS in its ports yearly since 2019 to identify supply chain bottlenecks affecting the release of imports and exports and come up with recommendations to mitigate such bottlenecks. The BOC has been using WCO’s Guide to Measure the Time Required for the Release of Goods, with the latest available BOC TRS dated 2022.
The BOC through Customs Memorandum Order No. 07-2024 also established a technical working group that will implement TRS in its ports to identify supply chain bottlenecks and opportunities for trade facilitation improvements.
