Port of Manila Customs Building Fire

*Excerpt from Rappler.com*

Operations at the Bureau of Customs-Port of Manila (POM) will continue despite the fire that razed parts of the building, the BOC said on Saturday, February 23.Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero gave the assurance to the public a day after fire hit the 3rd floor of the POM building at the South Harbor in Manila and spread to other parts of the historic building Friday night, February 22.

The origin of the fire was at the Account Management Office (AMO) where export/import licenses are controlled. It is therefore possible that official documents were damaged or destroyed as a result of the fire.

Possible negative consequences of the fire at Manila South Port include:

• Delay in import customs processing
• Delay in processing import port charges, such as Arrastre, Wharfage, Port Charges
• Delay in picking up containers from CY (unable to deliver)
• Omit by liners due to delays and extra congestion

“We want to assure the public that our operations will not be affected by this event,” he said in a statement on Saturday, Guerrero said the POM and the Central Office was working through the long weekend to “restore and re-establish systems and facilities that were destroyed by the fire” so that the office can resume normal operations by Tuesday.

“Our Management Information System and Technology Group are re-establishing the information system so the Port of Manila can immediately offer its services to its stakeholders. Everyone at the Bureau of Customs is working together to help the Port of Manila in getting up as soon as possible to stabilize the situation and guarantee minimal disruption for the transacting public,” he said.

BOC spokesperson Sandio Austria said the offices affected by the blaze will be temporarily moved to the BOC gymnasium, where its personnel would continue processing transactions when work resumes on Tuesday, February 26. February 25 is a special non-working holiday in observance of the anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. Further findings should be announced after work is resumed on Tuesday, February 26.

WWCB will continue to monitor the situation and update accordingly.

If you have any questions, please contact your local WWCB representative.

Thank you for your continued business with WordWide Customs Brokers.