Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto is once again making the rounds — this time, at the country’s powerhouse gateway, the Port of Batangas, to personally ensure that one of the nation’s biggest revenue generators remains a model of efficiency, transparency, and investor confidence.

Fresh from his earlier inspection of the Port of Cebu in September, Sec. Recto led another decisive visit, touring the facilities of Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) and checking the yard filled with imported motor vehicles cleared by the Bureau of Customs (BOC). His message was clear: “Every port must deliver. Every peso must count.”

Under the stewardship of Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, the BOC continues to post robust collections and tighten operational discipline across all ports — a direct reflection of his no-nonsense governance and performance-driven agenda.

At ground level, District Collector Carmelita “Mimel” Talusan of the Port of Batangas showed exactly how this mandate translates into action. With an average annual collection of PHP 224 billion, equivalent to 24.5% of the BOC’s total take, Batangas remains a crucial anchor in the country’s fiscal stability.

Accompanying Sec. Recto during the inspection were Undersecretary Maria Luwalhati Dorotan-Tiuseco, Assistant Secretary Dakila Elteen Napao, and Deputy Commissioner Atty. Agaton Teodoro Uvero, all aligned in the ongoing reform momentum of the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Customs.

As one Customs insider aptly remarked, “Recto sets the tone, Comm. Ariel drives the mission, and Coll. Talusan keeps Batangas delivering the goods — literally and fiscally.”

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