Manila: The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has implemented a three-year validity period for Customs Broker registration under the Client Profile Registration System (CPRS) to strengthen regulatory oversight and ensure that only legitimate and compliant practitioners engage in customs transactions.

According to Philippines News Agency, the bureau reported in a news release Saturday that under a memorandum issued on May 13, signed by Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, the Certificate of Registration for Individual Customs Brokers and General Professional Partnerships will be valid for three years from the date of issuance, unless sooner suspended or revoked for cause.

The Management Information Systems and Technology Group has been tasked to implement the memorandum, which will configure and update the CPRS and all related customs electronic systems to reflect the prescribed validity period, validate registration status, and restrict the lodging of goods declarations to brokers with valid and active registrations.

The system enhancements will include mechanisms for monitoring compliance with annual reportorial requirements within the validity period. The Accounts Management Office was instructed to strictly implement and enforce the three-year validity period in the processing, approval, and monitoring of Customs Broker registrations, including the validation and cleansing of existing records to ensure alignment with Customs Administrative Order No. 05-2019.

Nepomuceno noted the importance of maintaining accurate and up-to-date broker registration records to ensure that only duly registered Customs Brokers with valid and active CPRS profiles are authorized to transact with the bureau. "This policy reform safeguards the integrity of our processes while making trade more efficient and predictable for stakeholders," Nepomuceno said.

The initiative forms part of the BOC's continuing efforts to strengthen regulatory compliance, improve monitoring mechanisms, and streamline customs registration processes through enhanced digitalization and systems integration. It is part of the BOC's broader push to modernize systems, strengthen compliance, and build a more transparent and reliable customs environment, aligned with the Bureau's Integrity, Accountability, and Modernization movement.