The Bureau of Customs (BOC), headed by Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio, gained knowledgeable insights and valuable experience in the ‘U.S. Customs and Border Protection Ports Best Practices Exchange Visit’ hosted by the United States Customs Border Protection (US-CBP) in Los Angeles from June 24-28, 2024.

During the visit, BOC officials were able to observe best practices and activities at several U.S. Customs facilities and ports, such as the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach and Los Angeles International Airport. One of the essential goals of this event was to share CBP’s currency fraud detection operations with Philippine Customs to aid in removing the Philippines from the Financial Action Task Force grey list.

Aligned with the U.S. Export Control and Border Security (EXBS) Program, this Port Best Practices Visit aims to foster greater collaboration between the U.S. and the Philippines.

Moreover, it also served as an excellent venue to explore future collaborations and reinforce shared efforts in securing borders and enhancing measures against financial fraud and illicit transactions.

The Commissioner was supported by key officials from the bureau, including two Deputy Commissioners and District Collectors from five major ports in the Philippines, who actively participated and shared feedback and insights on different strategies for customs enforcement and currency smuggling detection.