The Manila Times
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) showcased its initiatives for digital transformation and trade modernization during the GOVX.0 Philippines Summit 2026. Customs Deputy Commissioner Revsee Escobedo of the Management Information Systems and Technology Group (MISTG), who represented the BOC at the summit, said customs modernization is no longer optional but a strategic national priority. Escobedo said modernizing customs operations boosts the country’s competitiveness, strengthens trade facilitation, and increases public trust in government services. He highlighted the bureau’s ongoing digitalization program aimed at building a faster, smarter, and more transparent customs system. Among the key reforms discussed were the enhancement of the Customs Core Processing System and the rollout of major digital platforms designed to streamline transactions and reduce red tape. These include the Automated Export Declaration System, Enhanced Certificate of Payment, e-Service Catalog, Online Tax Estimator, and the Origin Management System. Escobedo said such digital solutions were intended to minimize manual processing, cut delays in cargo clearance, and improve operational efficiency, while strengthening transparency in trade transactions. The BOC’s transformation efforts go beyond simply adopting new technologies, he said. It focuses on fundamentally improving institutional processes to deliver better and more responsive public service. During a panel session, Information Technology Officer III Jonathan Soriano emphasized that emerging technologies in government should not be judged by innovation alone, but by their ability to deliver measurable benefits to the public. Soriano stressed the need to balance innovation with governance, accountability, and public trust, as the bureau continues to modernize its cybersecurity infrastructure, data analytics, risk management tools, non-intrusive inspection technologies, port integration systems, and personnel capability development programs.
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