BIZ BUZZ: Coming in 2027: BOC’s digital trade overhaul
A trade overhaul is coming soon at the Bureau of Customs (BOC), as the agency sets its sights on pilot testing the Customs Processing System (CPS) in the first quarter of 2027.
Once live, the CPS promises fully digitized operations across all 56 ports in the country, with zero human intervention. Faster processing, fewer errors, smoother imports—Philippine trade is about to get a major digital upgrade.
BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, fresh from the agency’s 124th anniversary, says they’re studying systems in Singapore, Thailand and Japan, aiming to bring world-class efficiency to Philippine ports.
The P742.49-million unsolicited proposal is still under the microscope at the Public-Private Partnership Center, with the BOC hustling to slash the per-transaction cost to P330 from the initial offer of P350. It’s a small cut that could mean big savings for importers.
The proposal is now moving toward its next stage, with a Swiss Challenge expected by June or July. If all goes smoothly, the system will spend six months in technical design before pilot testing kicks off.
Should a proponent lose, Nepomuceno hopes there won’t be any legal showdown. It seems, though, that the BOC is fully prepped to defend its case.
The countdown is on: 56 ports, zero human intervention and a whole new way of moving goods. The digital customs era is almost here.
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