TRADE TALKS. Segundo Sigmundfreud Barte Jr. Bureau of Customs (BOC) acting district collector in Legazpi, gives his message during the”Regional Stakeholders Meeting” at The Oriental Hotel on Wednesday (Feb. 21, 2024). Barte said they are optimistic about collecting PHP3 billion in revenues for 2024. (PNA photo by Connie Calipay)
LEGAZPI CITY – The Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Port of Legazpi has announced that the first international container line in Bicol will start its operations in March and is expected to generate about P1 billion in monthly revenue collection.
Segundo Sigmund Freud Barte Jr., BOC Legazpi acting district collector, made the announcement during the BOC “Regional Stakeholders Meeting” at The Oriental Hotel here. Accredited exporters, business sector leaders, local government officials and local entrepreneurs attended the event.
“We are expecting the Eagle Express, represented by the Regional Container Lines (RCL) by March. If we have the market, the containers will come tomorrow, he said.
RCL is a Thailand-based container shipping line company with some 40 years of experience. In an interview on the sidelines of the meeting, Barte expressed his optimism about collecting P3 billion in revenues for 2024, not considering the expected operation of RCL beginning March.
“We are very hopeful that we can achieve the target; we can double the P1.8 billion 2023 collection. Compared to the actual collection in January to February 2023 which was P136 million, the port was able to collect P589 million for the same period in 2024. We are hopeful we will achieve our target,” Barte said.
Among the products that are being handled in the ports in Bicol region are fuel, rice, cement, and coal.
Barte noted that the BOC-Port of Legazpi now conducts paperless transactions in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to digitalize. (PNA)
