Customs chief Biazon mulls over China visit

Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon is planning a trip to China this year to discuss with the authorities their ways to curb the smuggling of goods from that country into the Philippines.

“[The trip] may be one of our strategies to counteract smuggling. We will see the source of the [smuggled] goods. Since China is one of our biggest sources, I am looking at visiting [the country] and interacting with our counterparts. We will learn their procedures so that we can help each other prevent the entry of goods from China that are questionable,” Biazon told reporters on Friday.

Biazon said he would propose that Philippine and Chinese officials exchange information on importation and other customs-related matters under a “single window” approach. He said the proposed system would electronically link all the customs administrations in the Southeast Asian and East Asian regions.

Asked how much smuggling went on from China, Biazon replied, “I don’t know the percentage but it’s really a majority [of all seized items]. For example, the [illegal firecrackers confiscated by authorities] in Bulacan were imported from China.”

The commissioner said he wanted to learn firsthand how China’s customs was run.

“It’s different when you have firsthand experience. We want to know what their process is so we will understand their system and know how to guard against smuggled goods,” he said. Jerome Aning