In a news release, the DOF said the performance marks one of the Bureau’s strongest quarters on record, underscoring sustained gains from reforms and tighter enforcement.

Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go commended the agency, citing improved governance and accountability as key drivers of the result.

“The Bureau of Customs’ highest-ever first-quarter collection demonstrates that our commitment to reforms, transparency, and accountability is delivering real results. These gains will directly support the government’s priority programs and benefit the Filipino people,” Secretary Go said.

The BOC attributed the outcome to coordinated efforts across its ports and subports nationwide, which ensured the efficient and lawful collection of duties and taxes.

A major boost came from the agency’s intensified campaign against illegal trade. Revenues were reinforced by the public auction of forfeited goods, including smuggled high-end vehicles, effectively converting illicit assets into public funds.

Post-clearance audit operations were also strengthened, improving compliance and ensuring accurate payment of duties and taxes.

The Bureau noted that the first-quarter performance is second only to the record collections posted from July to September 2025 under the current leadership.

The BOC said the results align with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the fiscal strategy of the Department of Finance to strengthen revenue generation while maintaining transparency and accountability.

“Every peso we collect helps fund essential services, advance national development, and build a better future for every Filipino,” Secretary Frederick Go added.

“This not only harms the economy but fosters corruption at multiple levels,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel in a news release last week (July 14), as he detailed the President’s marching orders to go after smugglers, their backers, and enablers with the full force of the law.

Secretary Tiu Laurel confirmed that he has already met with newly appointed Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre, and officials from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to craft a joint strategy targeting the syndicates flooding local markets with illegal imports.

“The President has directed the DA to throw the book at the consignees and all those involved in smuggling these agricultural products. By the end of the year, we hope to see many of those responsible handcuffed, facing charges,” said Secretary Tiu Laurel.

He added that customs brokers who facilitate these illegal shipments will also be held accountable under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law, the Food Safety Act, and the Customs Code.

Uninspected imports—many of which come from Port of Xiamen in China—pose serious threats not only to local livelihoods but also to public health and biosecurity, with potential risks to the country’s plant and livestock industries. The government has since heightened surveillance on shipments from the Chinese port, which has been identified as a major exit point for smuggled agricultural goods.

The President’s directive comes amid growing outrage from farmers’ groups and industry stakeholders who have long decried how smuggling devastates farmgate prices, destabilizes local production, and rewards criminality at the expense of the country’s food sovereignty.

In a joint operation, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday (July 1) intercepted six container vans from China carrying misdeclared imported onions and mackerel, potentially serving as a test case for the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act that President Marcos signed last year.

“Alinsunod ito sa direktiba ng Pangulo na paigtingin pa ang kampanya kontra smugglers at mga illegal na produktong sumisira sa ekonomiya at kalusugan ng bansa,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.

The DA said the intercepted shipments were declared as egg noodles, spring rolls, and dumplings.

Upon joint inspection, three of the six 40-foot containers were found to hold fresh red onions valued at around ₱10.3 million.

One container held yellow onions worth ₱3.82 million, and two others contained frozen mackerel worth between ₱13 million and ₱20 million, the DA said.

The two onion-loaded vans were consigned to Latinx Consumer Goods Trading, while the four container vans loaded with yellow onions and mackerel were consigned to Lexxa Consumer Goods Trading.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the inspection of the shipping containers with smuggled agricultural products, Castro said.

Violators of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act of 2024 face life imprisonment and a fine amounting to five times the value of the smuggled or hoarded agricultural products.

Under the law, smuggling or hoarding of agricultural commodities is classified as economic sabotage if the value of the goods exceeds ₱10 million. 

In a report submitted to BPI Director Glenn Gerard Panganiban, Arnold dela Cruz, officer-in-charge of Region X’s Plant Quarantine Service, said the shipment was consigned to Lantix Consumer Goods Trading, a company based in Binondo, Manila.

The cargo arrived on May 26 and was declared to contain various frozen goods such as egg noodles, croissant dough, pizza dough, buns, and spring rolls.

However, acting on a tip, the BPI-Plant Quarantine Service in Cagayan de Oro requested the BOC to withhold release of the container van for further inspection. A physical examination conducted on June 11 revealed that the shipment contained fresh red onions, not the items listed in the ship’s manifest.

The estimated customs value of the smuggled onions is around ₱2 million.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Department of Agriculture had not issued any sanitary and phytosanitary import permits for red onion shipments from China.

He affirmed that the government would pursue legal action under the newly enacted Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, which imposes heavier penalties on agricultural smuggling, including substantial fines and extended prison terms.

“We intend to go after these unscrupulous traders with the full force of the law,” said Secretary Tiu Laurel, echoing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify the fight against agricultural smuggling to protect farmers, consumers, and public health.

Following the discovery, the assigned BOC examiner has recommended the seizure and confiscation of the shipment.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa BOC at kay District Collector Arthur Sevilla ng Mindanao Container Terminal. Sa mabilis na coordination ng DA-BPI at BOC, hindi na nakalabas sa ang mga smuggled onion sa mga pamilihan,” said Tiu Laurel.

“We have blacklisted more companies in the past six months than in the past six years combined. This should serve as a clear warning to those who attempt to challenge our resolve in going after smugglers and unscrupulous traders whose illegal activities harm our farmers, fisherfolk, and consumers,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. in a news release.

The companies blacklisted for importing vegetables, fruits, and other food products without the necessary sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances from BPI include LVM Grains Enterprises, Kysse Lishh Consumer Goods Trading, JRA and Pearl Enterprises Inc., Betron Consumer Goods Trading, RCNN Non-Specialized Wholesale Trading, and Golden Rays Consumer Goods Trading. Of these, Kysse Lishh, RCNN, Chastity Consumer Goods Trading, and Golden Rays are not licensed importers.

Meanwhile, companies found to be involved in anti-competitive practices, such as price manipulation and collusion, have also been blacklisted. These include La Reina Fresh Vegetables Young Indoor Plants Inc., Vegefru Producing Store, and Yom Trading Corp., all of which were licensed importers.

The blacklisting is part of DA’s intensified efforts to combat agricultural smuggling, profiteering, hoarding, and cartel activities that drive up food prices and destabilize the local market.

BPI Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban said that the licenses of the blacklisted firms have been revoked, and those without licenses were banned based on derogatory findings by the bureau.

Secretary Tiu Laurel further emphasized that with the recent passage of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, government is prepared to take more decisive actions against violators.

The DA’s aggressive actions signal a renewed commitment to safeguarding the agricultural sector from illegal practices that undermine the livelihood of local farmers and consumer welfare.

Secretary Tiu Laurel stressed that government will continue to hold violators accountable and take further measures to ensure the integrity of the country’s agricultural trade system.

According to media release from the Department of Agriculture (DA), the shipment, confiscated for lacking an import permit, is intended to aid relief operations and bolster food security efforts.

In a letter addressed to Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio on November 18, Secretary Tiu Laurel highlighted the findings of the National Fisheries Laboratory Division of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Laboratory tests confirmed that the frozen fish is fit for human consumption, with no signs of spoilage or contamination.

“Consequently, the fish products are deemed fit for immediate release and can be utilized to address food security needs, especially in relief operations,” Secretary Tiu Laurel said.

“This initiative would support the DSWD and the Department of Agriculture’s ongoing efforts to provide essential aid to victims of the recent typhoon,” he added.

The confiscated shipment, comprising 21 container vans loaded with frozen mackerel, arrived at the Manila International Container Port in early October without the required sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances.

A joint team from the Department of Agriculture’s Inspectorate and Enforcement Office and the BOC intercepted and seized the shipment.

Following the confiscation, Secretary Tiu Laurel directed BFAR to conduct laboratory tests to evaluate the suitability of the frozen mackerel for distribution to typhoon-affected communities.

The results of these tests confirmed that the fish is safe for human consumption. The smuggled shipment of pelagic fish is valued at about P178.5 million.