The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is pursuing a comprehensive digital transformation agenda to make legitimate trade faster, more predictable, and business-friendly, Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said during the International IT-BPM Summit on September 23, 2026, highlighting the BOC’s commitment to improving the ease of doing business and supporting economic growth.
Speaking at a panel discussion on regulation and ease of doing business alongside ACGlobal Chief Tax Advisor Mon Abrea and IBPAP President and CEO-Designate Celeste Ilagan, Nepomuceno highlighted the BOC’s efforts to streamline customs processes and strengthen inter-agency coordination. He emphasized the importance of securing the necessary Department of Finance (DOF) certifications and completing required documentation early to maximize available tax and duty exemptions and avoid additional storage and demurrage costs.
Abrea stressed that government should balance effective regulation with policies that enable legitimate businesses to invest, innovate, and grow while maintaining accountability and safeguards.
“What matters to investors is the mindset that government should not function only as a regulator. It must also enable legitimate businesses to invest, innovate and expand while maintaining proper safeguards and accountability,” Abrea said.
Echoing this view, Commissioner Nepomuceno highlighted the BOC’s efforts to make trade more efficient and business-friendly.
“We fully understand our role in our economy. Huwag tayong mag-alala doon. Hindi kami tax and duties collectors lang. We are driven to deliver a modern, transparent, and business-friendly Bureau of Customs,” Nepomuceno said.
Nepomuceno also highlighted the BOC’s modernization program, with information and communications technology (ICT) projects driving more efficient, transparent, and responsive customs services. He noted that the Bureau’s role extends beyond revenue collection to facilitating legitimate trade and supporting economic growth.
Aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s push for digital transformation, improved government service delivery, and enhanced ease of doing business, the BOC continues to implement automated customs systems that make transactions more efficient, transparent, and responsive to stakeholder needs, Nepomuceno added.
