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The Port Users Confederation of the Philippines recently marked its 30th founding anniversary with renewed commitment to pursue its advocacies for the port and customs community
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Among its priority concerns is the Bureau of Customs’ computer system, long an industry complaint for being outdated contributing to slow clearance processes
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PUCP president Rodolfo De Ocampo urged PUCP members and its public and private sector partners to offer better services for a more “efficient, professionalized, and globally-competitive ports in the country”
The Port Users Confederation of the Philippines, Inc. (PUCP) recently marked its 30th founding anniversary with renewed commitment to pursue its advocacies for the port and customs community.
PUCP chairperson and vice president for customs affairs Julita Lopez, in an interview with PortCalls on the sidelines of the event, said they will continue to hold dialogues with the government to raise and help address industry concerns.
One of the group’s priority concerns is the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) computer system, long an industry complaint for being outdated contributing to slow clearance processes.
READ: BOC commits to sustaining automation initiatives
Looking back on three decades of the group, PUCP president Rodolfo De Ocampo said despite some setbacks, they were “able to capture much of those years with notable achievements and milestones.”
He noted the years ahead “may be full of challenges” but expressed confidence they can be overcome with the PUCP community’s support. “We have done this before, and we can do it all over again. The good relationship we have nurtured within the PUCP community will help enable us to overcome the trials that would come our way,” he said.
Moving forward, De Ocampo urges PUCP members and its partners in the public and private sector to continue pursuing “efficient, professionalized, and globally-competitive ports in the country.”
Founded in 1996 and formally incorporated on January 7, 1997 as Port Users Confederation, Inc. (PUC), the group of various business and stakeholders organizations was envisioned as a private sector advocacy body committed to supporting customs and port reforms and improvement.
In 2018, the group officially changed its name to PUCP as it shifted to a national scope and as part of its renewed commitment and strategic positioning as a partner in revenue generation and a contributor to global trade.
PUCP founding member and chairman emeritus Noemi Saludo, in a speech during the anniversary celebration on January 7, recalled that the then PUC was created upon the invite of the late former Customs commissioner Guillermo Parayno, who was seeking private sector support for his plan to automate processes of the BOC.
READ: BOC sets up commissioner’s advisory office
PUCP is now composed of 14 core member associations and several associate members, representing a wide range of sectors in the port and logistics ecosystem.
As part of the celebration, PUCP also recognized its past and present leaders for their contributions to the group and the industry. Achievement awardees included founding members Saludo and Lopez, and De Ocampo who has been serving as president of the group since 2014.
Past leaders who have since passed away were also recognized with a posthumous award that was received by their families. These include founding member and former president Atty. Oscar Sevilla; founding member and former board director Atty. Alejandro Dizon; founding member, former board director, and treasurer Juan Simborio, Jr.; former president and director Angelito Colona; former president, vice president, vice chairman, assistant treasurer, and board director Dominador De Guzman; founding member, board director, and former vice president Virgilio Veneracion, Sr.; founding member, board director, and vice president Ramon Ungco; and former board director and vice president Jennifer Bote. — Roumina Pablo
