If there’s a reform partnership now drawing eyes inside the government’s economic cluster, it’s the fast-rising alliance between Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go and the Bureau of Customs’ hard-charging chief, Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno.

During Secretary Go’s visit to the Bureau of Customs on November 28, 2025, what unfolded was more than a courtesy call—it was a clear message that the DOF and the BOC are locking arms to push one of the most ambitious clean-up and modernization drives the agency has seen in years.

Inside the briefing room, Commissioner Nepomuceno laid out the Bureau’s major accomplishments and ongoing reforms with the precision of a man who knows exactly where the agency is going. From integrity campaigns to modernization programs and intensified anti-smuggling operations, Nepomuceno’s roadmap is unmistakably shaped by discipline, transparency, and data-driven leadership.

Secretary Go didn’t mince words either. He made it crystal clear: full support, all the way.
Support for better revenue collection. Support for modernized processes.
Support for a no-compromise war against smuggling that continues to threaten Filipino consumers and legitimate businesses.

For a department that oversees the country’s finances and an agency that serves as its second-largest revenue generator, this alignment is not just welcome—it’s crucial.

Nepomuceno, whose leadership has earned growing respect across public and private sectors, openly acknowledged how pivotal Secretary Go’s backing will be in accelerating the BOC’s transformation. Reform, after all, is always stronger when the top-level leadership is marching in the same direction.

One highlight of the briefing was the Commissioner’s newest brainchild: “Isumbong kay Commissioner,” the Bureau’s direct, transparent, and action-oriented online platform for public complaints. Modeled after the President’s own “Isumbong sa

Pangulo,” this system symbolizes Nepomuceno’s signature governance style—open, accountable, responsive.

It is a bold move, one that invites scrutiny rather than avoids it. And it shows confidence: the Bureau is ready to face the public, answer questions, and address misconduct from within.

With Secretary Go’s principled leadership at the DOF and Commissioner Nepomuceno’s unrelenting push for integrity at the BOC, the message is unmistakable:
The era of complacency is over. The era of clean, modern, and citizen-centered customs service is here.

This tandem is not just steering the Bureau of Customs—they’re rewriting what the public can expect from it.

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