BIZ BUZZ: US firm eyes entry into BOC inspections
Will the Bureau of Customs (BOC) finally get a set of foreign eyes into its inspections?
An informed source told Biz Buzz that a US-based firm has already prepared a proposal to take on a third-party role in the BOC inspections.
If the US-based firm succeeds, the setup could potentially expand independent oversight at customs, helping streamline cargo clearance, boost transparency and even fast-track revenue collections—especially as the BOC is seen to have missed its collection targets last year.
Recall that the President issued Administrative Order No. 23 seeking to implement a preborder technical verification. Apparently, French global inspection firm SGS is in the mix, reportedly because the President “believes” in SGS’ track record.
But again, as recently reported by Inquirer, some big foreign exporters have complained about AO 23, citing added costs—with the US reportedly leading the charge.
Now, with these external pressures, the preborder technical verification project appears to be on hold.
So, whether a US-based firm can break through is anyone’s guess, with exporters grumbling and multiple proposals circling.
For now, the fate of third-party inspections at the BOC remains very much up in the air. Will it ever see the light of day?
