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The Port Users Confederation of the Philippines, Inc. commends the Bureau of Customs’ extension of importers accreditation and customs brokers’ registration from one year to three years, saying it’s the culmination of years of advocacy and addresses a long-standing industry issue
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PUCP said the policies mark “a historic victory for trade facilitation and ease of doing business in the country” and also “directly addresses long-standing industry challenges related to document duplication, red tape, and unnecessary administrative delays”
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The group said the issuance of CAO No. 01-2026 is a testament to the power of constructive public-private sector dialogue and “is the direct culmination of a multi-year collaborative effort and sustained dialogue between PUCP and the BOC”
The Port Users Confederation of the Philippines, Inc. (PUCP) commends the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) extension of importers accreditation and customs brokers’ registration from one year to three years, saying it’s the culmination of years of advocacy and addresses a long-standing industry issue.
The issuance of Customs Administrative Order (CAO) No. 01-2026, which extended importers accreditation, and the extension of customs brokers’ registration, marks “a historic victory for trade facilitation and ease of doing business in the country,” PUCP said in a statement.
The policies also directly address “long-standing industry challenges related to document duplication, red tape, and unnecessary administrative delays.”
PUCP said it is “proud to have spearheaded this initiative, serving as the first stakeholder group to formally conceptualize, recommend, and persistently advocate for the transition from an annual to a three-year accreditation cycle.”
The group said the issuance of CAO No. 01-2026, which amends certain provisions and adds new ones to the importers’ accreditation guidelines under CAO No. 07-2022, “is the direct culmination of a multi-year collaborative effort and sustained dialogue between PUCP and the BOC.”
Moreover, PUCP said its representative, chairperson Julita Lopez, formally proposed adopting the three-year validity for customs brokers’ registration, provided that corresponding fees are paid ahead of time, during the 2nd meeting of the Customs Industry Consultative and Advisory Council (CICAC) on March 21, 2024.
During this session, PUCP said the then BOC commissioner acknowledged the merit of the proposal, agreeing to explore the possibility of aligning said accreditation period similar to the existing three-year licensing cycle of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
During the 10th CICAC and 1st General Assembly on November 27, 2025, PUCP said advocacy efforts intensified with Lopez reiterating the pressing need for reform, formally expanding the suggestion to include importer accreditation. She emphasized that a three-year cycle would drastically reduce document duplication and eliminate redundant, time-consuming processes that burden legitimate traders.
On December 5, 2025, PUCP submitted a formal letter to Customs commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno containing “comprehensive, structured recommendations to overhaul the importer accreditation process, explicitly outlining the operational and economic benefits of the three-year validity period.”
“The implementation of CAO 1-2026 is a testament to the power of constructive public-private sector dialogue. We thank Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno and the entire Bureau of Customs for their open-door policy, for actively listening to the pain points of the supply chain sector, and for having the political will to enact meaningful reforms,” PUCP president Rommel Ibuna said.
“The PUCP would also like to extend its deepest gratitude and appreciation to Department of Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go for his making the issuance of CAO 1-2026 possible. By shifting to a three-year accreditation validity, the BOC has taken a massive step toward eradicating bureaucratic friction, allowing importers and brokers to focus on what they do best: driving the Philippine economy forward,” Ibuna added.
Founded in 1996, PUCP, Inc. is an umbrella organization representing various stakeholders in the logistics, shipping, and supply chain industries.
Aside from PUCP, other industry groups have also pushed for and welcomed the extension of importers’ accreditation and customs brokers’ registration.
