Marcos issues marching orders to new BOC chief

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has given Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz the marching orders to address five issues saddling the agency, according to Jun Veneracion’s “24 Oras” report on Monday.

“Five orders that are my marching orders. Number one, no drugs, absolutely no drugs. Number two, no guns. Number three, eliminate agricultural smuggling. Number four, increase revenue generation. Number five, go full automation and digitalization,” Ruiz said.

Before his designation as commissioner, Ruiz was the head of the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) of the agency for almost five years since 2017.

He also spearheaded several enforcement projects and handled the operations that contributed to the intensified anti-smuggling campaign.

Ruiz said he knows his colleagues and the situation inside the agency.

The BOC commissioner made a warning that he will not hesitate to punish those erring employees.

“I am not here to please anyone. Kung may masaktan pasensya , I’m sorry, I only need to please one and that is the President,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz has laid out a monthly revenue target for district collectors and those who miss it will be fired.

Meanwhile, outgoing Customs commissioner Rey Guerrero congratulated Ruiz, saying that he is “a public servant with a track record of accomplishments that will surely bring new energy to the bureau.”

“Being part of the organization for several years now, you have the advantage of hitting the ground running, so to speak, and a familiarity with the ins and outs that will serve you in good stead as you steward our institution towards mission accomplishment,” Guerrero told the incoming Customs commissioner.—Richa Noriega