Go vows funding push for new customs HQ

FINANCE Secretary Frederick D. Go has committed to helping secure funding for a new customs headquarters (HQ) in supporting the bureau’s modernization needs, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) said on Tuesday.

“(Mr. Go) expressed support for efforts to secure funding for a new customs headquarters and other essential operational requirements, noting that modern infrastructure is crucial to enabling efficient, secure, and technology-driven customs services,” the BoC said in a statement on Tuesday.

This followed Mr. Go’s meeting with Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno on Nov. 28 where they discussed accomplishments for 2025 in revenue collection, anti-smuggling campaign, trade facilitation, and efforts for transparency and good governance.

According to the BoC, the Finance chief, who took office on Nov. 17, said the trillion-peso revenue-generating agency should have adequate facilities, systems, and resources to fulfill its mandate effectively.

Mr. Go also noted that modern infrastructure is crucial to enabling efficient, secure, and technology-driven customs services. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante