Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz led the Ceremonial Launching of the Bureau of Customs- ASEAN Customs Declaration Document (ACDD) Management Portal with representatives from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on December 6 in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
More than 140 stakeholders and representatives from the Philippines witnessed, both in person and virtually, the unveiling of one of the landmark digital tools of the Bureau under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
The Philippines has joined seven other ASEAN Member States, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand, in digitizing trade processes and enhancing regional economic connectivity.
The project was made possible with technical support from USAID’s ASEAN Policy Implementation (API) Project. This is accomplished by electronically exchanging export declarations made to customs officials.
To maximize the potential of intra-ASEAN trade, the BOC ACDD Management Portal enables the Philippines to electronically transmit ACDD data through the ASEAN Single Window (ASW) regional trade facilitation network.
During the event, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) urged the participants to pursue greater efficiency in government service delivery through the Signing of the Pledge of Commitment Towards Customs Digital Transformation Through the National Single Window (NSW).
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno welcomed everyone and highlighted the significance of the Philippines’ prompt participation in implementing the live exchange of the ACDD with other ASEAN member states.
With ongoing support from USAID, the Philippines will be able to speed up its compliance with additional regional ASEAN-endorsed commitments.
In his remarks, Commissioner Ruiz stressed the importance of the Bureau’s adherence to ASEAN agreements, particularly with regard to the ACDD management portal, as well as President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s directive to digitalize the customs procedures and processes to bring customs administration up to par with the world’s best practices.
“The launch of the USAID-supported ACDD management system in partnership with the Philippines Bureau of Customs is a significant step forward to allow both the government and people of the Philippines to effectively harness the benefits of cross-border trade flows while incorporating international best practices in customs technology,” said Jennifer Crow, Acting Deputy Mission Director for USAID/Philippines.
“Building customs and trade systems that offer greater predictability, visibility, and transparency, will help Filipino exporters expand their markets and maximize opportunities,” she added.
The NSW and ACDD tutorial video presentations, including the short clip of the ACDD launching event, are available on the official YouTube Page of the Bureau of Customs.
