In a bid to reinforce sustained and robust cooperation, the Bureau of Customs (BOC), together with SGS Philippines Inc. and SICPA SA, held a High-Level Briefing to review the status of the Fuel Marking Program (FMP) in the country.

Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio extended a warm welcome to the Global Service Manager (GSM) of SGS, Mr. Mostafa Nasri, SICPA Regional Managing Director (Asia-Pacific), Mr. David Burke, and other key officials from both SGS and SICPA.

The SICPA team presented key developments in the program, reporting that as of November 2024, a total of 89.35 billion liters of fuel have been successfully marked, generating ₱1.028 trillion in taxes, with ₱204.18 billion collected in 2024 alone. This milestone highlights the significant impact of the collaboration between BOC, SGS, and SICPA in ensuring fuel integrity and compliance.

This strengthened partnership has also contributed to 84 apprehensions and the filing of 21 fuel smuggling cases, including a conviction for illegal fuel trading. With continued efforts to enhance enforcement thresholds, BOC, SGS, and SICPA remain committed to combating fuel smuggling and ensuring fair tax collection across the country.

The officials of SGS Philippines Inc. and SICPA SA also expressed gratitude to the Fuel Marking Program Project Implementation Office (FMP-PIO) headed by Deputy Commissioner Teddy S. Raval of the Enforcement Group who was on official travel during the visit.

Other key attendees included Deputy Commissioner of the Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group, Atty. Vener S. Bacquiran, Deputy Commissioner of the Revenue Collection Monitoring Group, Atty. Clarence S. Dizon, Financial Management Office Director, Bienvenido R. Datuin Jr., and other officials from the Bureau.