Guidelines in the Implementation of the Zero-Contact Policy at the Assessment Offices in the Bureau of Customs

March 11, 2020

CUSTOMS MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 008-20

 

Introduction. Pursuant to Rule V Section 1 of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2019-001 series of 2019 implementing Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, the following guidelines in the implementation of the Zero-Contact Policy in the Bureau of Customs shall be observed.

SECTION 1. Scope and Coverage. — This Order shall apply to all licensed customs brokers, declarants, importers, customs broker's representatives and other stakeholders (hereinafter referred as Client) dealing directly with the Bureau such as the processing of the goods declaration filed with the assessment offices in the Bureau of Customs, stakeholder engagement meeting, and other official events and activities.

SECTION 2. Objectives. —

2.1. To observe transparency in government dealings and encourage honest and efficient delivery of government services to the transacting public.

2.2. To promote a regime free of perception of graft and corruption by minimizing face-to-face transaction in the Bureau of Customs.

2.3. To encourage the submission of the goods declaration and supporting documents through electronic form in line with the bureau's thrust to re-engineer its systems and processes towards trade facilitation.

SECTION 3. Format of Goods Declaration and Supporting Documents. — Documents to be filed with the Bureau shall be submitted in hard and in electronic Portable Document Format (PDF).

3.1. The hard copies of the goods declaration and the supporting documents (bill of lading, invoice, packing list, etc.) must be placed in a long brown envelope properly labeled using size 16 Arial font with the following details, all in capital letters (see Annex A):

3.1.1. Date (ex. OCTOBER 2, 2019);

3.1.2. Port Code and Goods Declaration Reference Number (Entry Number) following the format in the SAD (ex. P02A-C-12345-2019);

3.1.3. Consignee (ex. INTERNATIONAL LOCAL TRADING, INC.);

3.1.4. Importer's Email address (ex. [email protected]);

3.1.5. Declarant (ex. JOSE DE LA CRUZ);

3.1.6. Declarant's email address (ex. [email protected]);

3.1.7. List of Documents submitted separated by Comma (ex. SAD, INVOICE, PACKING LIST, BL, INSURANCE RECEIPT; and

3.1.8. ONLINE TICKET NO. (if scanned copy is submitted online)

3.2. For electronic copies, only PDF file type shall be accepted and each document should be submitted as a separate file. The resolution of the electronic documents shall be at least 600dpi. The file name format shall be PORT CODE.REFERENCE NUMBER.DOCUMENT TYPE. Please see illustrative examples below:

3.2.1. P02A-C-12345-2019.SAD (For SAD)

3.2.2. P02A-C-12345-2019.INVOICE

3.2.3. P02A-C-12345-2019.BL (For Bill of Lading)

3.2.4. P02A-C-12345-2019.IP.DTI (IP stands for Import Permit, DTI is the issuing agency)

3.2.5. Examples of other document types: PACKINGLIST, TELTRANS (Telegraphic Transfer), LC (Letter of Credit), LPSR (Load Port Survey Report), etc.

SECTION 4. Procedures. —

4.1. The Client shall submit the hardcopy of Goods Declaration and corresponding attachments (Bill of Lading, Invoice, Packing List, etc.) at the Customer Care Center (CCC) which shall be established in all Ports. The CCC shall serve as the Port's receiving unit of all submitted import documents. If CCC is not yet operational at the Port, the documents shall be submitted at the Entry Processing Unit (EPU) or equivalent unit.

Soft copies of the scanned documents shall be submitted either by electronic mail through the Customer Care Portal System (CCPS), or in an external drive (USB flash drive) to be delivered simultaneously with the hard copy. The external drive shall be returned to the Client after downloading the files contained therein.

4.2. Upon receipt of the hard copies of the documents filed by the Client, the CCC or equivalent unit shall check the completeness of the documents submitted as labeled in the submitted envelope.

4.3. If the same are complete and in order, the CCC/EPU shall enter the required data fields in the Goods Declaration Verification System (GDVS). The EPU shall forward the documents to the Section Chief in the case of Port of Manila (POM) and Manila International Container Port (MICP), or to the FED Chief or its equivalent unit for other ports.

4.4. If the documents are incomplete based on the checklist enumerated in Annex "A" hereof, the CCC Evaluator or EPU document processor shall not accept the envelope containing the documents to process the goods declaration and shall inform the Client or his/her representative about the lack of documents and return the envelope to the client.

4.5. If there is a need for the submission of additional documents, the Client shall be asked to submit the soft copy through the CCPS and/or USB and the hard copies to the CCC (if applicable) or EPU/equivalent unit in a brown envelope and clearly labeled indicating the following details:

4.5.1. Date of submission

4.5.2. Goods Declaration No. (format: P02A-C-12345-2019)

4.5.3. Consignee (all capital letters)

4.5.4. Declarant (all capital letters)

4.5.5. Ticket No.

4.5.6. List of Documents, separated by comma

4.6. Upon receipt of the Goods Declaration, the assigned COO III (Examiner) shall process the same in accordance with provisions under CMO 1-2020.

4.7. The COO III shall open a ticket addressed to the Client using the CCPS on the following instances:

4.7.1. Notification to the Client for the schedule of the physical examination of the shipment, if required;

4.7.2. Submission by the Client of additional documents and/or explanation on the circumstances surrounding the transaction needed to complete the examination and assessment process;

4.7.3. If the shipment is assessed with additional duties and taxes; or

4.7.4. If the shipment is subject to clearance by the Import Assessment Service (IAS), Enforcement and Security Service Motor Vehicle Monitoring and Clearance Office (EMVMCO), other BOC units, or other regulatory agencies.

4.8. For entries subject of clearance by BOC offices/units, the COO III shall open a ticket and indicate in the details box the following remarks: "For IAS (or BOC office/unit concerned) Clearance. Indorsement letter to IAS (or BOC office/unit) is being prepared." The ticket will be assigned to the District Collector Office.

The Ticket Number shall always be indicated as reference in the Indorsement to IAS or other BOC offices/units concerned to be signed by the District Collector.

4.10. n  The District Collector or his/her representative shall attach a scanned copy of the indorsement to the ticket. Scanned copy of SAD and other import documents shall be forwarded to IAS or the concerned BOC offices/units either through email or as attachment to the ticket.

4.11.  The ticket shall then be transferred to IAS with the following remarks in the details box: "Hard Copy in Transit to IAS (or BOC office/unit). Scanned copies of Indorsement and SAD/Import Documents are attached/forwarded through email for advance information and evaluation of IAS (or BOC office/unit concerned)."

4.12.  The IAS or the BOC office/unit concerned shall immediately claim the ticket and indicate in the details box the following remarks: "Acknowledging receipt of scanned copies." The receiving Office concerned shall input its findings in the same ticket previously opened by the COO III.

4.13.  After evaluation, the IAS or the BOC office/unit concerned shall attach the scanned copy of Clearance in the ticket with the following remarks: "Please see attached scanned copy of IAS (or BOC office/unit) Clearance. Hardcopy of the said clearance is in transit to concerned District." IAS or the BOC office/unit concerned shall then immediately transfer the ticket to the assigned COO III.

4.14.  Upon receipt of original documents, the COO III shall claim the ticket and enter the following: "IAS (or BOC office/unit) Clearance received."

4.15.  After compliance and resolution of the issues and concerns, the COO III shall forward the ticket to the COO V (Appraiser) for closing with resolved status.

SECTION 5. Status Verification by Importer/Broker/Authorized Representative. — At any time, Clients may verify the status of their goods declaration using the GDVS link or the Clients may open a ticket in the CCPS. Only one ticket per goods declaration number is allowed. Otherwise, duplicate tickets will be closed.

5.1. If the client will create a ticket to follow-up the status of his goods declaration, he should select Goods Declaration as the Help Topic and provide the correct Port so that the ticket will be routed to the appropriate office. Under Summary Box, the Client should input the Goods Declaration Reference No. (Entry Number) and then input the Consignee name and other importation details in the details box.

5.2. The ticket created by the Client will be forwarded to the Office of the Chief, Formal Entry Division for subsequent referral to the assigned COO III/COO V.

5.3. After compliance and resolution of the issues and concerns, the COO III shall forward the ticket to the COO V for closing with resolved status.

SECTION 6. Opening of Appointment Ticket. — If a Client or BOC Officer requests for personal appearance due to valid reasons, such as witnessing of actual physical examination, a ticket shall be opened using the "Appointment" as the Help Topic.

Requests for visits shall be subject to the approval of the District Collector upon recommendation of the Chief FED. No appointment ticket shall be granted if the purpose is to follow up the status of a Goods Declaration as this can be done through the online portal and/or GDVS.

The Appointment Ticket will be routed first to the Chief, FED for recommendation, then to the Office of the District Collector for approval, and finally to the District Commander ESS for verification. Upon entering the assessment office, the client should inform the Customer Care Center, if applicable, or the ESS personnel on duty of the ticket number for verification in the system and subsequent issuance of an Access Pass ID.

No stakeholders inside the Assessment Area shall be allowed except those with approved appointments tickets and Access Pass ID.

The Appointment Ticket shall also be used for stakeholder engagement meeting, and other official events and activities to be conducted within the premises of the Bureau. The requesting office shall be responsible for the creation of the Appointment Ticket for the invited guests or resource persons and shall ensure that the Access Pass ID is already available upon their arrival.

SECTION 7. Creation of Alternate Link. — In the event of system malfunction or the CCPS link (client.customs.gov.ph) becomes inaccessible, an alternate link will be provided as a redundant and backup system where the importer/declarant may follow-up or inquire on the status of the goods declaration filed with the EPU.

SECTION 8. Creation of Port Transition Team. — For the smooth implementation of the Zero-Contact Policy as espoused in this Order, the District Collectors are hereby directed to create their respective Port Transition Teams to address possible concerns that may be raised by both BOC personnel and external stakeholders and to receive feedback and monitor stakeholder satisfaction where knowledgeable employees shall at all times be made available for consultation and advice.

SECTION 9. Responsibilities of the District Collectors. — All District Collector shall have the lead role in the conduct of information dissemination campaign for the Zero-contact policy of the Bureau and prepare and implement a comprehensive and strategic communication plan to educate and engage on a continuous basis all stakeholders and institute hotline numbers, information communication technology or other mechanisms by which stakeholders may adequately express their complaints, comments or suggestions.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. — Provisions of other CMOs, orders and issuances in conflict with this CMO are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. — This CMO shall take effect on March 23, 2020.

(SGD.) REY LEONARDO B. GUERREROCommissioner

n Note from the Publisher: Copied verbatim from the official copy. Irregular numerical sequence.