Malacañang sa Sugbu, CICC eyed as new Customs office

WITH a final notice from the Cebu Ports Authority asking them to vacate their office at Pier 6 by the end of August, Bureau of Customs Cebu district collector Edward dela Cuesta said he is considering three options for a new office space.

He identified: 1) the Qimonda IT Center in the North Reclamation Area where the office of Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is also located; 2) their original site at the old Customs house, which is now the Malacañang sa Sugbo; or the ground level of the Cebu International Convention Center.

Dela Cuesta said he wrote the CPA last week asking for an extension but received no response yet.

The BOC Cebu also asked Gov. Hilario Davide III to intercede on their behalf because the move could affect their operations.

“I also suggested last Monday to Deputy Commissioner (Juan Lorenzo) Tañada that we temporarily stay at the Malacañang sa Sugbo. If not, maybe we can use the CICC ground area as a temporary office,” he said.

Negotiations are ongoing for BOC to relocate to the Qimonda IT Center but nothing is final yet, dela Cuesta said.

The transfer will need at least P25 million to cover P5 million to set up their computer systems and another P20 million for office space renovation.

“The problem is that we don’t have that budget despite all these earnings (from the auctions),” he said. Reporter Aileen Garcia-Yap