SUMALANG sa pagsasanay ng United States Department of State’s Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program at ng U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sa Los Angeles, California, ang senior leader ng Bureau of Customs (BOC) ng Pilipinas para talakayin at matutunan ang best practices hinggil sa port security and operations.
Pinangunahan ni BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio, ang kinatawan ng Pilipinas na bumisita rin sa iba’t-ibang pantalan at pasilidad ng CBP SA Los Angeles, California, kabilang ang Long Beach Seaport, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), U.S. Coast Guard Marine Base, at Air and Marine Operations Center sa Riverside.
Kabilang sa iba pang BOC officials na sumama sa exchange visit sina Deputy Commissioner for the Assessment Group Vener Baquiran at District Collectors mula sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila International Container Port at ports of Clark, Manila and Cebu.
“The best practices we have observed and the discussions we had with our U.S. counterparts will help us when the BOC formulates new policies and improves operational guidelines when we go back to the Philippines,” pahayag ni BOC Commissioner Rubio.
Isa sa pangunahing topics na tinalakay sa nasabing exchange visit ang matulungan ang Pilipinas na malinang ang kanilang currency smuggling detection at contraband interdiction.
Nagkaroon naman ng pagkakataon ang mga BOC officials na maibahagi ang kanilang nalalaman hinggil sa enforcement and investigation sa mga special agents ng LAX-based Homeland Security Investigations office.
“Our Philippine visitors benefited from the expertise of CBP officers in airport currency smuggling detection and enforcement, which was all arranged under the EXBS program. In the future, we are planning to bring CBP experts to the Philippines to assist the BOC in identifying travelers with undeclared currency entering and exiting the country,” pahayag naman ni Ransom Avilla, ang Regional EXBS Advisor na nakatalaga sa U.S. Embassy in Manila.
Ayon sa embahada ng Amerika sa Maynila, ang EXBS program sa ilalim ng Export Control Cooperation Office ng U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Security and non-proliferation, ay nagkakaloob ng mga training workshops para sa kanilang mga bansa gaya ng Pilipinas na ginagawa ng mga CBP experts and investigators mula sa Homeland Security Investigations office.
“ The security exchange program includes training in international air cargo interdiction, seaport interdiction, and counter proliferation investigation,” ayon pa sa embahada.
Sa pamamagitan umano ng EXBS program, patuloy na sinusuportahan ng United States ang Philippine government sa pagpapaigting sa border security capabilities, pagpapalakas sa strategic trade management system, at pagsawata sa pagpapalaganap ng mga sandatang mapamuksa ( weapons of mass destruction).
