BOC vows to ‘confront’ corruption; pushes to change public perception

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MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it will “make real and lasting reforms” against corruption in a statement on Sunday, the same day several anti-corruption protests were set.

“The Bureau of Customs has, for many years, been perceived to be afflicted with corruption and irregularities. The agency has often been seen as part of the problem. But we also want the public to know that we are determined to change this image by making real and lasting reforms,” the statement read.

With this, the agency recommitted to enforcing strict measures, being transparent, and improving the processes in customs to “reduce human intervention and close the doors where corruption once thrived.”

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Furthermore, the BOC backed the calls of the anti-corruption protests.

“We hear the voice of the people in today’s protests, and we understand the prevailing frustration,” the BOC said.

The anti-corruption protests were prompted by the ongoing investigations of the flood-control projects, where contractors, and government officials were linked to alleged misuse of funds.

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The BOC also said it found “its strongest resolve to confront these challenges” in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “courage to call out corruption and to demand full accountability.”

It was Marcos who revealed that only a few among thousands of contractors were awarded the P100 billion budget for flood mitigation projects from July 2022 to May 2025. /cb