If anyone still doubts whether the Bureau of Customs is serious about revenue, January 2026 just slammed the door shut.

 

  • Under the steady hand of Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, four major collection districts didn’t just meet their targets—they blew past them, sending an unmistakable message: Customs is done playing catch-up.

 

NAIA: MAPA HOLDS THE LINE AT THE FRONT DOOR

At the country’s main air gateway, BOC-NAIA District Collector Atty. Maria Yasmin O. Mapa stood firm at the front door of the Philippine trade.

 

NAIA collected ₱3.74 billion, beating its ₱3.6-billion target by 4 percent and posting a 4.91-percent increase over 2025. In an environment where speed and risk collide daily, Mapa’s leadership kept collections strong and controls tight.

 

Air cargo, express shipments, passengers—NAIA didn’t blink.

 

Port of Manila: Torralba Sets the Tone

 

At the country’s busiest gateway, Port of Manila District Collector Rizalino Jose C. Torralba opened the year with authority.

The numbers speak loud and clear: ₱7.511 billion collected, overshooting the ₱7.355-billion target by ₱156 million.

 

No drama. No excuses. Just discipline, teamwork, and tight enforcement. Torralba credited the men and women of POM, but the takeaway is simple—Manila delivered, and it delivered early.

 

Port of Clark: Reyes Keeps the Momentum

Up north, Port of Clark District Collector Jairus S. Reyes proved that consistency still matters. With a target of ₱434.72 million, Clark pulled in ₱453.46 million, posting a ₱18.73-million surplus.

Reyes called it teamwork and stakeholder compliance—but in plain terms, Clark is showing what happens when rules are enforced, and partners stay in line. Quiet efficiency, solid results.

 

Collection District X: ZURBITO BRINGS THE HAMMER

 

Then there’s Collection District X—and this is where the real muscle flexed.

Under District Collector Atty. Manuel O. Zurbito Jr., Customs in Northern Mindanao didn’t just exceed expectations—it crushed them.

 

January collections hit ₱3.48 billion, smashing the ₱3.26-billion target by ₱221.2 million, a 6.79% surge that stands tallest among the performers.

 

Zurbito didn’t mince words or hide behind spreadsheets. He went straight to work—tight monitoring, strict valuation, and zero tolerance for sloppy declarations. From Cagayan de Oro to Mindanao Container Terminal, Iligan, and Ozamiz, the message was uniform: collect what is due, and collect it right.

 

This is not luck. This is command responsibility in action.

 

Nepomuceno’s Playbook Is Working

 

These results don’t happen in a vacuum. They reflect the marching orders from Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno—strong leadership, disciplined collectors, and ports that understand their role in national development.

 

Every peso collected feeds infrastructure, education, social services, and the broader economic push of the Marcos administration. And January’s numbers prove that when leadership is clear, the ground delivers.

 

Bottom line:

2026 didn’t tiptoe in—it kicked the door down.

And if January is the preview, smugglers, cheats, and under-declarers should brace themselves.

 

Customs is wide awake. And it’s collecting.

Spread the news