The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has inaugurated a new customs office at the Sub-port of Currimao in Ilocos Norte to enhance operations at the seaport and improve economic growth in the region.

On Wednesday, Fr. Hermoganes G. Saturnino, Jr. officiated the blessing of the new BOC Curimao office, the first of more sub-port offices to open under the leadership of Port of Aparri District Collector Elenita Abaño. Port Irene and Laoag International Airport and its sub-port offices will soon hold their inaugurations.

Abaño, Currimao Mayor, Edward Quilala, Philippine Ports Authority Northern Luzon Port Manager, Engineer Marieta Odicta, Currimao Police, Chief, PMajor Benjie Dairev Umalla, Currimao Coast Guard Station Commander, Mark Larsen, witnessed the event.

“This new office is a milestone achievement for both the Sub-port of Currimao and the Port of Aparri. With the guidance of Collector Abaño, our team played well. We succeeded in having this new office,” Ma. Luisa Relon, BOC Port of Currimao Officer-in-Charge, said in her opening remarks.

The Sub-port also awarded its top importers and stakeholders for their help in transforming its mother unit, the District Port of Aparri, into a billionaire port.

Abaño thanked those who helped make the new office a reality, including the importers for their revenue contributions, officers of the Sub-port, and owners of Omnico Natural Resources Inc. for providing a space in their building.

“My resolve to provide safe, convenient, user-friendly, and decent sub-port offices under the District Port of Aparri was strengthened when I saw the sorry condition of the BOC sub-port of Currimao during my first visit to this port,” Abaño said.

“I was never wrong in my decision because even during my first month as the new District Collector for the Port of Aparri, we more than doubled our annual revenue collection target of P400 million when we joined the Customs league of billionaire ports in June. Eighty percent of those revenue collections came from the Port of Currimao,” she added.