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The World Customs Organization conducted a risk management mission together with the Bureau of Customs as part of the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program
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The mission aimed to assess the progress made and reinforce collaborations to strengthen the capacity of the BOC in effectively implementing the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement
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The Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program focuses on capacity building in technical measures such as expedited shipments, and time release study, among others
The World Customs Organization (WCO) recently conducted a risk management mission together with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) as part of the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program.
The mission, from February 13-17, 2024 in Manila, aimed to assess the progress made and reinforce collaborations to strengthen the capacity of the BOC in effectively implementing the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, WCO said in a statement. It was funded by the United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HRMC).
The Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program, in a multi-year strategic partnership with the BOC, focuses on capacity building in technical measures such as expedited shipments, time release study, authorized economic operator, and risk management. It also supports cross-cutting enablers within Customs’ organizational development such as gender and diversity, competency-based human resource management, integrity, and leadership & management development.
The mission focused on enhancing risk management across BOC operations and conducted under the Trade Facilitation in Middle Income Countries program, at the time also supported by the United Kingdom.
Meetings were held at BOC headquarters in Manila, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and the Port of Cebu.
WCO experts from The Netherlands and Thailand assessed implemented reforms and identified areas for further improvement, aligning WCO Risk Management standards with BOC strategies and priorities.
Lewis Cameron, HMRC head of multilateral engagement and senior responsible officer overseeing the WCO’s Accelerate Trade Facilitation Partnership, expressed satisfaction and said: “I was able to see first-hand that by developing needs-driven partnerships, our Program is delivering sustainable and meaningful results built on a foundation of trust and respect.”
Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio expressed his gratitude to the WCO and the United Kingdom for their partnership, highlighting the significance of a holistic Risk Management approach in boosting revenue and trade facilitation.
