The Special Session of the Philippine Trade Facilitation Committee (PTFC), chaired by Department of Finance (DOF) Undersecretary Charlito Martin R. Mendoza, with Assistant Secretary Dakila Elteen Napao and Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port Operations Service (POS) Director Geniefelle P. Lagmay, convened on March 6, 2025, to discuss key initiatives on the digitalization of cross-border trade and ongoing trade facilitation reforms. The session brought together PTFC members to review ongoing efforts aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and compliance in international trade operations.
Representatives from the Trade and Policy Facilitation Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), led by Dr. Yann Duval, participated in the session. The ESCAP delivered an impactful presentation on the Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade (CPTA), a UN treaty designed to promote cross-border paperless trade by enabling the exchange and mutual recognition of trade-related data and documents in electronic form, as well as facilitating interoperability among national and subregional single windows and other paperless trade systems. The Philippines formally acceded to the CPTA in 2019.
Mr. Tengfei Wang and Mr. Yern Fai Lee of ESCAP also presented significant insights, emphasizing the importance of system interoperability, particularly with the World Customs Organization (WCO) Data Model and the United Nations Trade Data Element Directory (UNTDED). They encouraged the Philippines to play an active role in the implementation of the CPTA. Additionally,
Mr. Dennis C. Pantastico, Trade Facilitation Consultant at ESCAP, further presented the “National Feasibility Study on Cross-Border Electronic Exchange of Trade-Related Data or Documents: The Philippines.” The study identified priority trade documents for digitization, the need for inter-agency collaboration, and the challenges of standardizing trade data formats across regulatory bodies. Key recommendations included strengthening the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC), expanding the National Single Window (NSW) to integrate customs and banking procedures, and leveraging emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain to enhance data validation and security.
In addition to these presentations, the session included progress reports from the PTFC Compliance Monitoring Technical Working Group (CMTWG), Trade Policy Review Technical Working Group (TPR-TWG) and National Time Release Study (NTRS) Technical Working Group to ensure seamless implementation of trade facilitation reforms.
Expressing his full support for these initiatives, Undersecretary Mendoza emphasized the importance of digitalization in strengthening trade facilitation efforts. He recognized the role of collaboration between government agencies, international partners, and the private sector in ensuring seamless and efficient trade operations. He also thanked the committee members and technical working groups for their continued dedication to improving the country’s trade facilitation landscape.
With the BOC at the forefront of trade facilitation, the discussions reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to modernizing customs operations and aligning with international trade standards.
Moving forward, agencies will continue working on harmonizing trade policies, improving digital infrastructure, and fostering stronger partnerships with ASEAN and global trade partners.
