|
Saturday, January 28, 2006
BOC warns firms against insurance agents who ‘collect’ customs duties
Insurance firm agents are not authorized to collect customs processing fees, a Bureau of Customs (BOC) Cebu official clarified.
BOC Cebu District Collector Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang said business firms should pay customs processing fees only to the customs office.
Mangaoang reacted to a complaint by Jonathan Pasana, controller of Timex Philippines, who reported that the firm was charged customs processing fees when it obtained surety bond from an insurance company.
Mangaoang said she will investigate the matter but urged Pasana to write a letter addressed to her office and to attach the insurance policy and receipt of the customs processing fee paid by Timex, a watch making company located at the Mactan Economic Zone.
Aware
She admitted, though, that she is aware that there are people who act as insurance agents and collect customs processing fees from companies trying to secure surety bond for import and export goods.
She said when she assumed office as Port of Cebu district collector, some insurance agents had been collecting customs processing fees.
“I have already abolished that system wherein the insurance companies charged you customs processing fees. I saw it once and I filed criminal charges against this insurance agent with the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office,” she said.
Under the Tariff and Customs Code, all raw materials by firms at special economic zones are covered by an insurance bond.
Pasana also complained that Timex and other manufacturing firms cannot chose insurance firms because the Port of Mactan allegedly require them to pick only those in their list.
Mangaoang assured the businessmen that she had made a lot of reforms regarding insurance bonds. (EOB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 28, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
