If there were still doubters that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) could clean up its act, 2025 slammed the door on skepticism.

Under the clear marching orders of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the no-nonsense leadership of Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, the BOC didn’t just post respectable numbers—it proved that reform, discipline, and performance can coexist inside one of government’s most scrutinized agencies.

Let’s talk brass tacks.

From January to December 2025, the BOC raked in a staggering ₱934.4 billion in revenues, beating its 2024 haul by ₱17.7 billion. And this wasn’t achieved in ideal conditions. Imports were down. Rice importation was suspended. Global prices were swinging wildly. Yet Customs still delivered. That alone sends a message: this was not luck—this was leadership and systems working.

At the center of it all was Commissioner Nepomuceno, whose watch has been defined by tighter compliance, smarter digital tools, and a refusal to tolerate shortcuts. While others blame external factors, this Customs leadership focused on efficiency and accountability—and it paid off.

But revenue is only half the story.

On the enforcement front, BOC flexed its muscle. In 2025 alone, the agency mounted 1,024 enforcement operations, seizing ₱61.7 billion worth of smuggled, misdeclared, and outright illegal goods. That’s not just enforcement—that’s a full-scale war on smugglers. Enhanced intelligence sharing, sharper risk profiling, and stronger coordination with law enforcement turned ports into pressure points for criminals, not gateways.

And while the smugglers were feeling the heat, honest traders were getting a better deal. Expanded use of non-intrusive inspection technologies and tighter oversight of bonded warehouses showed that border protection and trade facilitation don’t have to be enemies.

Perhaps the most striking shift, however, happened inside the Bureau.

Commissioner Nepomuceno pushed reforms that went beyond slogans. The “No Take” policy wasn’t just reiterated—it was enforced. An Anti-Conflict of Interest directive drew clear lines. The “Isumbong kay Commissioner” portal gave the public a direct line to the top. The enhanced BOC Tax Estimator, revised Code of Conduct, updated Citizens’ Charter, and the creation of the Balikbayan and OFW Action Center all sent one unmistakable signal: this leadership was serious about changing Customs culture.

The private sector noticed.

Major business groups—from the PCCI and FPI to the Makati Business Club—didn’t just applaud; they partnered. Industry organizations that once kept Customs at arm’s length are now sitting at the same table, expressing confidence in the Bureau’s direction. At the recent Customs Industry Consultative and Advisory Council assembly, the tone was clear: stakeholders believe the reforms are real—and here to stay.

Commissioner Nepomuceno put it bluntly: “2025 was more than numbers or milestones—it was a year that showed the Bureau of Customs can transform.” And for once, that didn’t sound like bureaucratic spin. It sounded like a statement backed by data, seizures, systems, and support.

As 2026 begins, the challenge is obvious: sustain the momentum. But if 2025 proved anything, it’s this—with Ariel F. Nepomuceno at the helm, Customs is no longer just collecting revenues; it’s rebuilding credibility.

And in an agency long haunted by public distrust, that may be the biggest victory of all.

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