Three months. Three straight targets smashed.

That is the explosive collection record posted by the Bureau of Customs–Port of Zamboanga (BOC-POZ) under the watch of District Collector Atty. Manuel “Manny” O. Zurbito Jr., as the port hauled in a whopping ₱2.882 billion from July to September 2026—blowing past its ₱2.432-billion Third Quarter target by ₱449.42 million!

The numbers tell the story—and they are hard to ignore.

With Zurbito taking the helm on July 10, 2026, the Port of Zamboanga immediately went into collection overdrive, registering three consecutive months of beating its revenue targets.

July: ₱1.23 billion collected, with a massive ₱411.72-million surplus.

August: ₱884.15 million collected, posting a ₱761,836.97 surplus.

September: ₱767.52 million collected, delivering another ₱36.93-million surplus.

In total, the port generated ₱2,881,795,064.48, against the Q3 target of ₱2,432,380,000.00, translating to a staggering ₱449,415,064.48 surplus.

ZURBITO: NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY

For Zurbito, the collection figures are not simply numbers on a report.

They reflect a tougher and more disciplined approach to customs operations—particularly in import valuation, assessment procedures and anti-smuggling enforcement across the Zamboanga Peninsula and the BaSulTa region.

The message from the Zamboanga customs front is unmistakable: revenue collection and border protection must move together.

The aggressive collection performance also reinforces Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno’s IAM BOC Movement—Integrity, Accountability and Modernization, which seeks to strengthen revenue generation while tightening the Bureau’s defenses against illicit trade.

₱449-M SURPLUS SENDS A MESSAGE

The Port of Zamboanga’s Third Quarter performance puts the spotlight squarely on Zurbito’s early leadership.

Since assuming office, the veteran customs official has helped steer the port through a three-month stretch of positive collection results—demonstrating that strict assessment, firm enforcement and relentless collection discipline can translate into real revenue gains.

But Zurbito’s challenge now is bigger.

Can Zamboanga sustain the momentum in the fourth quarter?

With the port already sitting on a ₱449.42-million Q3 surplus, expectations are high.

For Zurbito, however, the battle is far from over.

The target is not merely to collect more.

It is to collect what is legally due, stop revenue leakage, crush smuggling networks and protect the region’s borders.

And if the Port of Zamboanga’s Q3 numbers are any indication, Manny Zurbito is making sure the customs gate stays wide open for legitimate trade—but slammed shut against illegal commerce.

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