FILE PHOTO: Bureau of Customs Commissioner John Sevilla (UNTV News)
MANILA, Philippines —Commissioner John Sevilla refuted rumors of his alleged resignation from the Bureau of Customs.
“Supposed rumors about my resignation which I tell you right now are not true. For the record lang, I have not resigned,” Sevilla confirmed.
The Customs chief said this is not the first time that such issue surfaced. During his first months in office the same rumor has also spread.
“I don’t know where its coming from, there’s plenty of work here we can’t afford to be distracted by this things,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs reported that for the 1st quarter of 2015, the agency collection rose by 6.6% compared to the same period last year.
Total collection from January to March reached 92.2 billion pesos compared to only 86.5 billion pesos last 2014.
The agency, however, noticed a 38% slide in the collection coming from oil products which is a result of the drop in oil prices in the world market.
BOC states that due to this prevailing situation, the agency may not be able to reach its 456 billion peso target collection for the whole year.
Sevilla noted that a realistic target would be 373 billion pesos.
“Nobody knows, nobody really knows what’s really going to happen to oil this year… I’m assuming na yung oil price will stay more or less were it is today and for the whole year bababa ang collections from oil by about 30%.”
( Nobody knows, nobody really knows what’s really going to happen to oil this year… I’m assuming that the oil price will stay more or less were it is today and for the whole year collections from oil will be reduced by about 30%)
BOC has already advised the finance department of the reported calculation.
With the drop in the oil collection, motor vehicles and parts, steel, cellphones and milk moved up on the list of high revenue generating imports. (VICTOR COSARE / UNTV News)