Bernie Anabo Jr.
If performance is the name of the game, BOC-NAIA is making serious noise.
And at the center of that performance are two names drawing attention inside the Bureau of Customs—Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno and Collection District III Collector Atty. Maria Yasmin “Yas” M. Obillos-Mapa.
During the Port of NAIA’s 66th Founding Anniversary on September 15, the message was unmistakable: performance, accountability and modernization must translate into actual results.
With the theme “IAM 66: Built on Integrity, Driven by Accountability, Powered by Modernization,” the celebration put the spotlight on the Bureau’s Integrity, Accountability, and Modernization Movement.
And the numbers coming out of NAIA are hard to ignore.
Under Collector Yas Mapa, BOC-NAIA reported ₱32.53 billion in revenue collections from January to August 2026, exceeding its target by 7.88 percent, or ₱2.38 billion.
The Port also posted a 14.11-percent growth in collection, described as its highest growth since 2023.
That is not simply a ceremonial anniversary statistic.
That is performance measured in pesos.
NEPOMUCENO: ‘NATUTUWA KAMI SA INYO!’
Commissioner Nepomuceno did not mince words in recognizing the NAIA team.
He praised Collector Yas Mapa’s leadership and pointed to the Port’s performance not only in collection, but also in good governance and teamwork.
The Commissioner’s message was essentially a challenge: keep delivering.
“Natutuwa kami sa inyo,” Nepomuceno told the NAIA team, while recognizing the strong leadership of Collector Mapa.
For a Customs chief pushing the IAM agenda, the recognition carries weight.
Because collection alone is not the finish line.
Revenue must come with integrity. Enforcement must come with accountability. Modernization must produce better service.
And NAIA is being called upon to keep proving that these priorities can move together.
YAS MAPA: CREDIT GOES TO THE TROOPS
Collector Mapa, meanwhile, refused to make the anniversary about herself.
Instead, she pointed directly to the men and women of the Port.
She credited their hard work, dedication and willingness to go beyond expectations for the accomplishments recorded by NAIA.
That leadership approach matters.
Behind every collection figure are Customs examiners, appraisers, enforcement personnel, frontline workers, administrative personnel and other employees doing the daily grind.
No shortcuts. No magic. Just people doing the job.
And Mapa made it clear that the Port’s achievements are collective.
₱1.64-B APPREHENSIONS — ₱1.57-B DRUGS BLOCKED
But NAIA’s story is not confined to revenue.
The Port recorded 1,266 apprehensions valued at approximately ₱1.64 billion.
Working with partner law enforcement agencies, BOC-NAIA also helped prevent more than ₱1.57 billion worth of illegal drugs from reaching communities.
That puts another dimension on the NAIA mandate.
Collect. Protect. Enforce. Serve.
The airport is a critical gateway into the country, making Customs enforcement there a frontline responsibility.
Every suspicious parcel, questionable shipment and prohibited commodity becomes a potential test of the system.
And the figures show that enforcement remains a major part of the Port’s operations.
MODERNIZATION IS NOT JUST A BUZZWORD
BOC-NAIA also pushed modernization through its ISO re-certification, Electronic Airway Bill System, dedicated OFW initiatives and Secondary Inspection Areas.
These initiatives are aimed at improving both Customs operations and passenger-facing services.
The Port also recognized its key partners and stakeholders, including importers, locators, customs brokers and warehouse operators.
Collector Mapa acknowledged their contributions and support in helping the Port carry out its revenue mandate.
The message is clear:
Customs cannot operate in isolation.
The fight for efficient trade, revenue protection and border security requires cooperation between government and legitimate stakeholders.
NEPOMUCENO’S CHALLENGE: DON’T SLOW DOWN
Perhaps the strongest message came from Commissioner Nepomuceno himself.
He urged the NAIA team to continue its performance, stressing that the country needs their contribution.
“Ipagpatuloy niyo lang ’yan dahil kailangan ko ang tulong niyo, kailangan ng bansa ang tulong ninyo.”
That is the pressure point.
Success creates expectations.
Once a port demonstrates that it can exceed targets, strengthen enforcement and improve services, the public naturally expects the momentum to continue.
For Nepomuceno, the challenge to NAIA is therefore simple:
Do more. Improve more. Deliver more.
THE ‘YAS MAPA’ FACTOR
Collector Atty. Maria Yasmin “Yas” Mapa now enters NAIA’s 67th year with a performance record that has become a major talking point inside the Bureau.
But numbers alone do not tell the entire story.
Leadership is also about getting people to move in the same direction.
And during the anniversary celebration, the NAIA team’s message was one of collective responsibility.
That is precisely where the leadership styles of Nepomuceno and Mapa intersect—a Commissioner demanding results and a District Collector leading a team expected to deliver those results on the ground.
The scoreboard is already visible.
₱32.53 billion collected.
₱2.38 billion above target.
14.11-percent collection growth.
1,266 apprehensions.
₱1.64 billion in apprehended goods.
More than ₱1.57 billion in illegal drugs prevented from reaching communities.
Now comes the harder part:
Sustain it. Strengthen it. Raise the bar.
Because at NAIA, the 66th anniversary is over.
The real work continues.
And if Commissioner Nepomuceno wants the IAM banner to mean something beyond slogans, the Port of NAIA under Collector Yas Mapa has already provided a numbers-driven example of what Integrity, Accountability and Modernization can look like when translated into actual operations.
NAIA has made its statement.
Now, the challenge is to make it louder.
