(Photo courtesy of PNA)
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) recorded its highest monthly revenue collection in history after generating Php 97.463 billion in October 2026, despite a decline in import volume.
In a statement Friday, the BOC said preliminary figures showed that October collections increased by Php 14.501 billion compared with the Php 82.962 billion recorded during the same month last year.
The amount represented 99.42 percent of the agency’s Php 98.028 billion revenue target for October.
The BOC also reported that its cumulative collections from January to October reached Php 853.662 billion, the highest revenue recorded for the first 10 months of any year in the agency’s history.
The figure surpassed the Php 846.522 billion target by Php 7.140 billion and exceeded the Php 784.633 billion collected during the same period in 2025 by Php 69.029 billion.
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno attributed the record collections to tighter revenue monitoring, improved customs administration, and stronger coordination among customs personnel nationwide.
“Every record we achieve reflects the dedication and hard work of our Customs personnel nationwide. My heartfelt thanks to all our Collection Districts for their tireless efforts and commitment to delivering results,” Nepomuceno said.
“Every peso we collect translates into services that can be provided to our fellow Filipinos. This gives greater meaning to our work,” he added.
Despite the strong revenue performance, the BOC still faces a significant challenge in meeting its full-year collection target of Php 1.011 trillion.
The agency needs to generate more than Php 157 billion in additional revenue during November and December to achieve its annual goal.
Nepomuceno, however, expressed confidence that the bureau could reach the historic Php 1 trillion collection mark before the end of the year.
“With our cumulative collection continuing to exceed its target, we remain confident in our ability to achieve our full-year revenue goal. We are determined to reach the PHP1 trillion mark, and we will give our very best to achieve it,” he said.
He also appealed to importers and other stakeholders to support the government’s revenue efforts by ensuring the proper payment of customs duties and taxes.
For the remaining two months of 2026, the BOC said it would intensify revenue monitoring, strengthen enforcement against customs violations, and pursue reforms aimed at facilitating legitimate trade.
The bureau also plans to improve customs processing procedures while ensuring accurate assessment and collection of import duties and taxes.
The BOC emphasized that customs revenues play a vital role in financing government operations, infrastructure development, healthcare services, and other public programs.
