Delay in rice shipments not due to port congestion, BOC says

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Saturday maintained that port congestion is not the cause of delays in rice shipments in the country. 

"At the Port of Manila, 258 containers of rice remain in the yard. Of these, 237 containers have been cleared for release after payment of duties and taxes. The remaining 21 containers, accounting for 8.13%, had their Goods Declarations lodged only on 20 September 2024, and are still in the process of being cleared," the BOC said.

The BOC also said that there are also 630 containers of rice at the Manila International Container Port where 492 containers have been cleared for release.

"The BOC emphasizes that none of these shipments have exceeded the 30-day period stipulated by Section 1129(d) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA). According to the law, importers must claim their shipments within 30 days from payment of duties and taxes, or the shipments will be declared abandoned," added the BOC. 

"In summary, the rice shipments are ready for release once consignees fulfill their responsibilities, and the accumulation at the ports is not due to any delay caused by congestion," the BOC emphasized.

The BOC also vowed to continuously monitor the situation.

"The Bureau of Customs remains committed to ensuring that the release of rice shipments follows the legal procedures without unnecessary delays. We urge consignees to act promptly to avoid further disruptions," stressed BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News