|
THE
Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it is testing the
capabilities of value-added service providers for the
second phase of its program, called electronic to
mobile, to find out if it can fully implement the
measure this year.
The
tests also rely on the participation of shipping lines,
forwarders and banks, and include the various systems
like the client-profile registration system, advanced
submission of manifests and cargo declaration.
The
service providers are Cargo Data Exchange Center, E-Konek
Pilipinas and Intercommerce Network Service. The bureau
asked them for the registration materials to lodge
entries to determine possible flaws in the system.
The
second phase of the program covers the client
profile-registration system, electronic license and
clearance system, electronic payment system and online
release system.
The
final phase would include export automatic lodgment,
raw-material liquidation and bonds-management system.
Based on
the original schedule, the BOC should have rolled out
the electronic submission of formal entries, warehousing
entries, selectivity/hold and alert, electronic-payment
system and online release during the first half of 2008,
as well as the full migration to electronic process by
the second half.
At the
moment, only a part of the program is in place.
The BOC
is changing the way shippers, importers and exporters
and shipping lines do business with the bureau by
employing the services of third-party companies as the
main front men.
There
are at least 11 ports of entry where the project,
through the service providers, is in place. These
include the port of Manila, Manila International
Container Port, Ninoy Aquino International Airport and
the ports of Cebu, Mactan, Davao, Batangas and Clark
Field.
The BOC
is also rushing to put the project in place and beat the
deadline for the live exchange of data among the
Philippines, Thailand and probably South Korea for the
single-window transaction system in the second half of
the year. |
