Customs bureau told to move out soon

THE Bureau of Customs was given until the end of this month to vacate their office in Pier 6 of the Cebu port area.

A final notice was sent last July 23 by the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) to the BOC, reminding them to leave their building at the Cebu International Port (CIP) on or before Aug. 31.

“We are sending letters to the CPA asking for extensions so that we can still use the building. We also understand them , this is their building and their land,” Cebu District Port Collector Edward dela Cuesta said.

The BOC office’s holding area is located across the Radisson Blu Hotel.

They don’t pay rent for their office, a white two-story building owned by the CPA, except for power and water bills.

Dela Cuesta said their office is still waiting for funds from the national office so they can rent office space for the meantime.

He said it had been a month since they wrote to the CPA to appeal for an extension.

“The July 23 notice is the CPA’s final notice to them after many extensions,” CPA deputy manager Yusop J. Uckung said.

He said there won’t be any extension unless there is an order from the national government.

“The management does not have a choice but to implement the directive of the CPA board,” Uckung said. The building and the parking areas where the BOC holds office will be converted into container yards.

“Cebu International Port (CIP) is so congested and CPA needs the area for critical operational needs,” Uckung said.

He said the BOC could return to their old office near Fort San Pedro, the post-war building which was converted into the Malacañang sa Sugbo during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

In their notice, the CPA said they were forced to use the vacant space in front of the BOC office as storage area for cargoes.

Dela Cuesta said their personnel were forced to use tents set up outside Fort San Pedro when it was renovated years ago.

“I appreciated our predecessors during that time that they immediately found this building for the BOC staff and personnel to stay,” he said.

With or without CPA approval, dela Cuesta said they will prepare to transfer without notice.

“After the last strong earthquake that hit here, there were cracks that were discovered by the engineers from Cebu City Hall and CPA. We repainted the cracks so it won’t be noticeable,’ dela Cuesta said.

The BOC found a place near Foton at the North Reclamation Area as a possible area where they could set up operations.

Dela Cuesta said the CPA notice is unrelated to the rice pilferage at the CIP last month. “Before that, we already received the notice,” he said.

The Malacañang sa Sugbo which used to be the Old Customs House was built in 1910. It was renovated in 2004 during the second term of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. /Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag