The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) is now implementing the second phase of its enhanced goods declaration verification system at the ports of Batangas, Clark, Limay, Subic, and Surigao, and the sub-ports of Bislig, Nasipit, Mariveles, Siain, Puerto Princesa, and Bauan.
The implementation, starting Nov 6, follows guidelines under Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 17-2018, which implements in all Philippine ports 1-Assessment, a web-based queue management software/application that provides bias-free assessment by randomly assigning appraisers and examiners to goods declarations filed.
1-Assessment, formerly called enhanced goods declaration verification system, is the second phase of the goods declaration verification system (GDVS). The GDVS was pilot-tested and implemented on October 2017 under CMO 31-2017 at the Manila International Container Terminal and Port of Manila.
A separate application from BOC’s electronic-to-mobile (e2m) system, 1-Assessment has for one of its goals preventing corruption by institutionalizing the “Zero Contact Policy,” and suppressing the “suki system” in cargo clearance through the random assignment of examiners and appraiser to a given goods declaration.
It also aims to enable importers and customs brokers to obtain real-time information on the status of their goods declaration, and seeks to define the liability of customs brokers and customs personnel involved in the cargo clearance process while strengthening their accountability.
To access Phase 2, customs brokers can go to http://1-assessment.customs.gov.ph/eGDVS2/loginBroker.jsp.
Under CMO 17-2018, 1-Assessment shall apply only to import consumption entries cleared under the formal entry process in all ports of entry.
Exempt from 1-Assessment, even if cleared under the formal entry process, are the following: shipments under the Super Green Lane, articles withdrawn from customs bonded warehouses for local consumption, wastage under the bonded warehouse regime and jet operation losses, goods entered as temporary imports for subsequent re-exportation, and deferred payment of government.
Stakeholders may check the status of their goods declaration online using their mobile phones, personal computers, or designated kiosks using the http://1-assessment.customs.gov.ph/eGDVS2/kiosk
Under CMO 17-2018, the importer, customs broker, or declarant shall lodge the goods declaration through any accredited value-added service provider/accredited information provider (VASP/AIP).
The VASP/AIP will then send the e2m-lodged goods declaration via web to the 1-Assessment system.
Using the URL, the customs broker shall log in to the 1-Assessment system using his or her tax identification number, customs client number, and password initially supplied by the system, retrieve the goods declaration from the system by choosing the correct port and goods declaration number (entry numbers), and then attach the high-quality electronic (100-200) dpi images of the mandatory original documents.
Only pdf, png, or jpg files of up to 5MB in size can be attached per file, CMO 17-2018 notes.
The customs broker must then submit the notarized copy of the single administrative document (SAD), notarized supplemental declaration on valuation (SDV), and the original hard copies of the mandatory documents to the customs officer assigned at the Entry Processing Unit (EPU) or its equivalent office in the port.
The EPU customs officer, customs examiner, and customs appraiser will then follow the procedures set forth in CMO 17-2018. The order also includes the step-by-step procedure to be taken by the customs broker if customs officers found discrepancies in the documents submitted to the system.
If 1-Assessment is unavailable due to network interruption or other technical concerns, BOC’s Management Information System and Technology Group (MISTG) site manager shall inform the MISTG deputy commissioner of the situation. Depending on the severity of the problem as assessed by the Technical Support Division (TSD), the MISTG deputy commissioner may allow, as advised by the TSD and MISTG site manager, the manual assignment of goods declaration within the affected port until the problem is resolved.
Another feature of 1-Assessment is that if goods declaration has been assigned and remains unattended for two hours, the assessment chief shall click the “reassign” button and the system will reassign the declaration to another available customs examiner.
For goods declaration assigned to a customs appraiser that remains unattended for two hours, the designated appraiser supervisor shall have the sole task of reassigning the goods declaration by using the “reassign” button. The system shall randomly reassign the goods declaration to another available appraiser.
To implement 1-Assessment, the customs commissioner shall issue the corresponding memoranda to the different district collectors informing them of the schedule of the roll-out of the system in their respective ports.
Former customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña earlier agreed to defer implementation of 1-Assessment at the Port of Manila, Manila International Container Port, Cebu, and Davao to either end of the year or to early next year. – Roumina Pablo
Image courtesy of nalinratphi at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
