• President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. supports the new Bureau of Customs policy prohibiting personnel from holding any interest in customs brokerage operations
  • The memo is a directive from Marcos to stop systems that pave way for corruption in the agency

  • The policy also requires personnel to disclose any familial relations with persons involved in any customs brokerage business

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. supports the new Bureau of Customs (BOC) policy prohibiting all personnel from holding any interest in customs brokerage operations, Presidential Communications Office undersecretary and press officer Claire Castro said in a recent press briefing.

Castro said the order is a directive from Marcos designed to strengthen transparency and good governance and stop corruption in the agency.

Newly-appointed Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno on July 10 issued Office of the Commissioner Memo No. 39-2025, prohibiting all BOC officers, employees, and personnel from directly engaging in, or having commercial or business interest in entities engaged in customs brokerage. BOC said it is part of the agency’s intensified efforts to eliminate conflicts of interest and reinforce transparency within its ranks.

READ: BOC personnel banned from brokerage operations

Castro said Nepomuceno emphasized that the bureau will prioritize what’s good for the country rather than for just some.

The new policy extends further government rulings on conflict of interest with a categorical ban on any involvement, direct or indirect, in customs brokerage businesses. This includes roles as owner, incorporator, stockholder, partner, consultant, advisor, or in any other capacity that may raise ethical concerns.

Moreover, all BOC personnel are now required to submit a verified affidavit to the Office of the Commissioner within 10 days from the issuance of the memorandum. The affidavit must disclose any familial relationship, by consanguinity or affinity within the fourth civil degree, with individuals involved in customs brokerage businesses, regardless of their role or status in the entities. The affidavit must also identify the name, address, and contact information of the brokerage concerned, along with other relevant details.

The disclosure obligation remains mandatory even in instances where the individual’s involvement or affiliation has ceased within the last five years. This includes customs brokerages that have stopped operations, those where shares were already divested or transferred, or where the individual was previously listed as an incorporator despite no longer holding interest.

Nepomuceno emphasized that this reform is in strict compliance with Customs Memorandum Orders 25-2010 (BOC Function-Specific Code of Conduct) and 23-2008 (Effective Management of BOC Integrity Action Plan), and is anchored on Section 9 of the BOC Integrity Action Plan.

Section 9 prohibits Customs officials from engaging in business transactions with brokers, importers, or exporters under circumstances that could compromise their duties, and forbids them from holding interests or positions in any private enterprise regulated or supervised by the BOC.

The BOC said the memo is unequivocal in its warning, thus failure to comply will be met with sanctions in accordance with applicable laws.

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