By John Rey Saavedra
CEBU CITY – The Bureau of Customs–Port of Cebu is set to introduce the e-Travel Customs System, enabling airline passengers and crew arriving at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) to conveniently fulfill customs baggage and currency declarations online.
This initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to modernize all customs procedures, including the declaration of dutiable items upon airport arrival.
Gerardo Campo, subport of Mactan customs collector, said passengers who will be arriving in Cebu through the MCIA will experience ease in declaring their dutiable items or items in commercial quantity using the e-Travel Customs System 72 hours after the launching and dry-run of the system on Wednesday.
The BOC-Cebu has partnered with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in providing connectivity to run the e-Travel Customs System portal.
“Once it becomes fully operational, passengers who are still in the foreign land can register with the systems and declare their baggage and the currency they will carry with them,” Campo told the Philippine News Agency.
Upon arrival, the passengers will no longer fill up the customs declaration slips but instead log in to the e-Travel Customs System website through https://etravel.gov.ph or by scanning the quick response (QR) code 72 hours before their scheduled arrival at the MCIA.
“To avoid delays in the customs clearance process, a passenger has to complete the declaration using their smartphone, tablet, or laptop. All they need to have is an internet connection,” Campo said, adding that the system will also boost revenue collection of dutiable items to be brought by the passengers. (PNA)
