Marcos swears in new ​BIR, Customs, BCDA chiefs

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. swore in three officials of his administration in a ceremony in Malacañang on Friday, November 13 following a fresh reshuffle of his appointees. 

Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno took his oath as the new head of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

Succeeding him is Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Charlito Mendoza who also took his oath before Marcos Jr.

Finance Undersecretary Rolando Ligon Jr. will replace Mendoza in taking the BIR helm.

Meanwhile, BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang will move to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority—the country’s 2nd largest investment promotion agency.

Nepomuceno said Marcos’ marching order is to create thousands of jobs and entice more businesses and investors under his tenure in the BCDA.

“And the way to do that is, number one, make sure that the current locators and business groups in our industrial and commercial zones will be fully served,” he said in an interview after his oath-taking on Friday.

The new BCDA chief expressed confidence in taking on the position, saying that he is “a bit familiar” with the job of administering economic zones as he once served as the EVP and General Manager of the Food Terminal Incorporated during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Asked about his kind of leadership, Nepomuceno said BDCA’s work is “corporate” which is different than the Bureau of Customs.

“In the Bureau of Customs, while you’re doing the collections and reforming the Bureau, at the same time, you’re battling against smugglers who are well-connected,” he said.

“So, modesty aside, palagay naman natin kahit papano, ang Bureau of Customs is a bit better than the agency that we inherited,” he added.

Nepomuceno expressed trust and confidence that his successor “will continue the reforms that we started.”

For his part, Mendoza said Marcos’ directives are clear which is to stop smuggling, protect borders from illegal drugs and illicit goods and facilitate legitimate trade through ease of doing business.

“We have to streamline our processes, we have to digitalize and make doing of business easier for our businessmen and our investors. At kapag ang dalawang bagay na ito ay pinagsama natin, definitely ito ay nagri-resulta sa mas mataas na revenue collection,” he stated.

The new Customs chief underscored the importance of listening to stakeholders and at the same time, stands firm on policies.

“Nagkikinig ako sa ating mga stakeholders… Kapag ang isang polisiya na ipapatupad natin ay dumaan sa consultation sa ating mga stakeholders, nagiging parte sila sa paggawa ng regulation na ito at nagiging madali ang pagpapatupad,” Mendoza said.

“At once na nag-roll out tayo ng panibagong regulation, we have to be firm. Kinakailangan maipatupad natin ito na walang kinikilingan ng pantay-pantay at kinakailangang we continue to improve sapagkat wala naman talagang perpektong pulisiya sa simula and we continue to improve as we go along,” he added.

Ligon, meanwhile, vowed to help taxpayers in fulfilling obligations and meet targets on tax collections.

“Under my leadership, I’ll make sure that the taxpayers are well-assisted and at the same time, we’ll make sure yung mga pasaway na ayaw magbayad ng buwis ay hahabulin natin and we will apply the full force of the law,” he said.