Marcos orders BOC, BIR to bolster anti-smuggling efforts vs illegal tobacco, vape

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks at the 503rd anniversary of the Battle of Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, in this file photo taken on April 27, 2024. (Photo from an RTVM video posted on Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to enhance anti-smuggling efforts against illicit tobacco and vape products.

According to a Palace statement Thursday, Marcos held the 6th Private Sector Advisory Council-Agriculture Sector Group meeting in Malacañan Palace last Wednesday.

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“Enforcement, anti-smuggling and all that. You really have to beef them up and I think we’re doing that,” Marcos told officials present in the meeting.

“There will be [more efforts] with the Bureau of Customs and BIR so that we can improve performance with that regard,” he added.

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The Palace said that Special Assistant to the President on Economic and Economic Affairs Frederick Go has been assured by the Department of Trade and Industry Consumer Protection Group that personnel will be dedicated to monitoring the vape industry.

BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. also told Marcos that his agency would implement a tax stamp system to determine which vape products were illegal.