Friday, October 31, 2008 Customs issues alert on medical equipment arrival
A 45-FOOT container loaded with used medical equipment was alerted by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to ensure the safety of the public once it is released.
Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Port of Manila (CIIS-POM) officer in charge Johnny Martinez said the holding of the shipment is only a precautionary measure since medical equipment are regulated importations, which require import permits from the Department of Health.
"We alerted the shipment based on its inward forward manifest and as part of the risk management measures of the bureau," he said.
The container is loaded with medical equipments such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or x-rays emit radiation among others.
The shipment arrived aboard the vessel Uni Aspire from China and consigned to Open Port Trading whose office address is in Quezon City.
He explained that they want to ensure the equipment adhere to the safety standards of the Health Department before they release it as they will be used for medical purposes.
"We have yet to examine the contents of the container since we have only based the alert on the manifest, so it is not yet specific; once they file the entry we will know what it is," Martinez said. (FP/Sunnex)
