BOC suspends 7-day lodging period amid quarantine

Bureau of Customs. (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Saturday suspended the seven-day period to lodge goods declaration as Luzon is under enhanced community quarantine due to COVID-19.

This move is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive placing the entire Luzon island on enhanced community quarantine to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

“The Bureau of Customs recognizes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has significant impact on the operations of BOC in terms of risks related to exposure of external and internal stakeholders while physically transacting with the ports and offices in the bureau,” said BOC in a statement.

Before COVID-19 put the country in a state of emergency, goods for declaration can stay in the BOC ports for seven days and it’s in the bureau’s discretion to dispose of it or ship it back to the original sender.

The lodgment and filing of goods declaration may be made within 15 days from the date of discharge of last package, and this can be done at any time during the declaration of the quarantine period.

BOC, though, allows concerned parties to file for an extension of 15 more days behind valid grounds and this action can be done personally or online by opening a Ticket at Customer Care Portal System at client.customs.gov.ph.

This order, also, will cover shipments with date of discharge of last package starting March 10.

“The BOC emphasizes that the compliance in this regard will ensure delivery of public service with due observance to physical distancing policy and other preventive health measures,” said the bureau.

Edited by JPV