PRESIDENT Bongbong Marcos has commended the Bureau of Customs under the leadership of Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio for the visible improvements in the agency’s performance.
While the BOC did not fully meet its collection targets for 2024, the positive growth in collections, compared to the previous year, has been sufficient to earn the president’s approval and praise for Rubio’s leadership.
For the first time, the BOC has exceeded its collection expectations, with PHP 784.54 billion in revenue from January to October 2024—a 6% increase from the same period in the previous year.
This marks a significant departure from past years when the agency’s collections consistently fell short of targets.
As a result, PBBM’s speech during the 123rd anniversary of the BOC was filled with commendations for Rubio’s leadership and the agency’s recent achievements.
Under Comm. Rubio, the BOC has seen a collaborative effort across all seven of its operational groups, enabling the agency to successfully carry out its mandate as the government’s primary revenue-collecting body.
Among these groups, however, one stands out for its exceptional performance — the Intelligence Group.
My little birdie within the agency highlighted the critical role played by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, which operates under Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy.
The agency’s enhanced intelligence efforts, spearheaded by Director Verne Enciso, have led to a substantial increase in the seizure of illegal goods.
In fact, the CIIS has doubled its seizure accomplishments in recent years. In 2022, the BOC recorded 729 confiscations valued at PHP 24 billion. By 2024, this number surged to 1,537 seizures, with a total value of PHP 81 billion — a remarkable increase that underscores the effectiveness of the CIIS’ strategic approach.
This success was further exemplified on February 6, 2025, when, with the assistance of other law enforcement agencies, the CIIS intercepted over 404 kilograms of shabu smuggled into the country from Karachi, Pakistan.
This operation was followed by another successful seizure of 25 kilograms of shabu at the Port of Cebu, along with over 200 kilograms of shabu and kush in various other major operations carried out by the CIIS.
These significant achievements are a testament to the leadership and innovative programs introduced by Comm. Rubio, who took office in early 2023 with a clear mandate to reform the agency’s image and operations.
Under his guidance, the BOC has not only met but exceeded expectations, setting a new standard for excellence in customs enforcement.
