While critics doubted and global conditions weighed down trade, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) under Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno proved one thing loud and clear in 2025: performance beats excuses.

The numbers don’t lie.
₱934.4 BILLION—that’s how much revenue the BOC delivered by year-end 2025, posting a ₱17.7 billion increase over 2024’s ₱916.6 billion haul. This, despite a drop in import volumes, suspended rice importation, and soft global oil and commodity prices that crippled revenue agencies elsewhere.

Against the odds, Nepomuceno’s BOC still grew by 1.9%—a feat that didn’t come from luck, but from discipline, digital reforms, and relentless enforcement.

NO SHORTCUTS, NO FAVORITISM

Under Nepomuceno’s watch, the message was unmistakable:
Pay the correct duties—or face the consequences.

The BOC intensified its scrutiny of import declarations, cracked down on undervaluation, and tightened monitoring mechanisms to plug revenue leaks that once slipped through the cracks. Importers used to gaming the system found no comfort under this leadership.

DIGITALIZED, STREAMLINED, UNSTOPPABLE

Nepomuceno didn’t just chase smugglers—he modernized the system.

The Electronic Payment Portal (ePay), now integrated with Landbank Linkbiz, allows 24/7 settlement of duties and taxes, cutting red tape and killing delay-ridden manual transactions. With Maya integration on the way, the BOC is fast becoming one of the most digitally agile agencies in government.

Behind the scenes, the PCAG Audit Tracker System (PCATS) quietly works as a watchdog—flagging inconsistencies, tracking voluntary disclosures, and catching irregularities before they balloon into billion-peso losses.

LAWYERS WHO MOVE, NOT STALL

Revenue protection doesn’t stop at seizures—it ends at remittance.

Under Nepomuceno, the Legal Service of the Revenue Collection and Monitoring Group cut through bureaucratic sludge, accelerating revenue-related cases within just two months of internal reforms. The result? Faster collections, quicker remittances, and real money reaching the National Treasury.

RESULTS THAT HIT HOME

“This is not just about revenue—it’s about impact,” Nepomuceno said, and the figures back him up.

Every peso collected feeds schools, hospitals, infrastructure, and social services—fueling President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s vision of a stronger, more self-reliant Philippines.

At a time when excuses were easy and targets were tough, Ariel F. Nepomuceno chose results.

And in 2025, the Bureau of Customs didn’t just collect revenue—
it sent a message: accountability is back, efficiency is real, and performance is non-negotiable.

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