Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is heartened over the request of new Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno to help automate the bureau’s systems.
Lacson, in an interview on One News late Wednesday, disclosed that Nepomuceno made the request in a meeting on Tuesday.
“I met with BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno. I’m glad he asked for help in automating the bureau’s systems. I said it is good that he made such a request because you can be more efficient and save a lot in tax collections once the BOC is fully automated,” he said in Filipino.
In Filipino: Bagong Customs Chief, Humingi ng Tulong kay Ping Lacson Para I-Automate ang BOC
He said that while the BOC has computerized its systems, it still needs to automate because it is still not free from human intervention, which opens the door to corruption.
Lacson said that so long as there is human intervention, there will be discrepancies in import and export records of the Philippines and its trade partners – which may mean billions of pesos in lost revenues.
In other countries like China, he said there is no room for human intervention by a Customs collector or appraiser because all processes are already automated.
Also, Lacson recalled that when he asked a former BOC official in the previous administration why they have not automated their systems, the former official said they lacked the P15-billion budget to do so. But when Lacson asked for a list of particulars so he can justify the realignment of appropriations, the BOC never submitted one.
“Why don’t they want to automate? It’s because automation will get rid of human intervention,” he said.
“Computerization is just a part of improving collection efficiency. It should be in tandem with automation,” he added.
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Bagong Customs Chief, Humingi ng Tulong kay Ping Lacson Para I-Automate ang BOC
Nabuhayan ng loob si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson sa hiling sa kanya ni bagong Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno para tulungang i-automate ang mga sistema ng ahensya.
Sa panayam sa One News nitong Miyerkules ng hapon, ibinunyag ni Lacson na ginawa ni Nepomuceno ang kanyang hiling sa isang pagpupulong nitong Martes.
“I met with BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno. I’m glad nasabi niya, ‘Senator, pwede tulungan kaming mag-automate.’ Sabi ko, ‘mabuti nabanggit mo yan kasi malaki ma-save ninyo sa tax collection pag nag-fully automate ang BOC,'” ani Lacson.
Ani Lacson, bagama’t computerized na ang sistema ng BOC, kailangan pa nitong mag-automate dahil bukas pa ang pinto para sa human intervention at sa katiwalian.
Giit ng mambabatas, habang may human intervention, magkakaroon ng pagkakaiba sa import at export records ng Pilipinas at ng mga trade partners nito – na nangangahulugan na bilyon-bilyon ang nawawala sa hindi nakolektang buwis.
Sa ibang bansa tulad ng Tsina, aniya, walang puwang para sa human intervention ng Customs collector o appraiser dahil lahat na proseso ay automated na.
Dagdag ni Lacson, natanong na niya ang isang dating opisyal ng BOC noong nakaraang administrasyon kung bakit hindi pa sila nag-automate. Ang tugon sa kanya ay kailangan ng BOC ng P15 bilyon. Nguni’t nang humingi si Lacson ng listahan ng kailangan ng BOC para mabigyan niya ng katwiran ang pag-realign ng pondo, walang naisumite ang BOC.
“Bakit ayaw nila mag-automate? Mawawala ang human intervention eh,” ani Lacson.
“Computerization is just a part of ma-improve mo efficiency ng collection. Ang kakambal niyan automation,” dagdag niya.
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