THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has established a new office to oversee its international customs relations, trade diplomacy and cross-border cooperation as it seeks to strengthen coordination with foreign governments and international organizations.
Through Customs Memorandum Order 16-2026, BOC Chief Ariel F. Nepomuceno ordered the creation of the Customs International Affairs Office (CIAO) under the Office of the Commissioner.
The order also renames and reorganizes the existing External Affairs Office into the International Customs Coordination Division (ICCD), which will be supervised by the CIAO.
The CIAO will oversee all programs and initiatives involving foreign governments, customs administrations, international organizations, diplomatic missions, development partners, foreign business organizations, international industry associations and other foreign and international stakeholders.
The new office will also work with the BOC’s deputy and assistant commissioners, functional groups, collection districts and other units on proposed international engagements, foreign technical assistance, bilateral and multilateral initiatives and international partnerships.
Meanwhile, the ICCD will coordinate with various BOC offices on international agreements, technical cooperation, foreign-assisted projects, international meetings, and other cross-border engagements to ensure a consistent agency position and the implementation of these initiatives.
The CIAO will be headed by a director with overall supervisory authority and strategic control over international programs and policy formulation, while the ICCD will be led by a chief, supported by an assistant chief.
‘This organizational restructuring reflects the Bureau’s commitment to strengthening its international affairs framework, aligning its organizational structure with evolving international customs practices, and enhancing the role to support broader and more strategic international customs cooperation and external engagements,’ the memo read.
The BOC stated that it must continue to engage effectively and consistently with international organizations, diplomatic missions, development partners, foreign business organizations, and other international stakeholders as international trade and customs administration continue to change in an increasingly interconnected global environment.
‘Such engagement is essential to advancing customs modernization, promoting trade facilitation, strengthening border security, enhancing institutional capacity, fostering international cooperation, and ensuring the effective implementation of the Philippines’ commitments under international customs and trade agreements,’ it added. #