Manila, Philippines, December 6, 2022. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) partnered with the Philippines Bureau of Customs (BOC) to launch the Philippines ASEAN Customs Declaration Document (ACDD) Management Portal, which will expedite intra-ASEAN trade exchanges for the Philippines by reducing the time required to export to other ASEAN member states.
Under leadership of the Philippines BOC, with technical assistance provided by USAID’s ASEAN Policy Implementation (API) project, this milestone represents an achievement that will strengthen and deepen the U.S.-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to help support ASEAN member states close the loop in meeting ASEAN-endorsed regional commitments to digitize trade processes and broaden regional trade connectivity. The ACDD Management Portal enables the Philippines’ National Single Window (NSW) digital trade platform to electronically exchange ACDD information via the ASEAN Single Window (ASW) regional trade facilitation network to maximize the potential of intra-ASEAN trade.
The ASW currently streamlines electronic cargo clearance exchanges, reduces clearance times, and boosts clearance reliability. It also decreases costs for storage and labor, helps ensure equitable administration of trade regulations, and lowers the cost of doing business in the region. Private firms have saved an estimated $2.87 billion from 2018 to 2021.
More than 140 stakeholders and representatives from the Philippines government trade and finance sectors, and the private sector including exporters, importers, customs brokers, freight forwarders, port operators, and shippers gathered to celebrate the ACDD digital portal achievement and learn more about the new portal’s harmonized standardization of customs data that will broaden the suite of trade documents exchanged between the Philippines and other member states.
Remarks by the BOC Commissioner, H.E. Mr. Yogi Filemon L. Ruiz, highlighted the importance of BOC’s compliance with ASEAN agreements, particularly on the ACDD management portal, as well as President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr’s instruction for BOC to digitalize the customs procedures and processes to make customs administration at par with the international best practices.
A welcome message from the Secretary of the Department of Finance, H.E. Benjamin E. Diokno, underscored the importance of the timely participation of the Philippines to implement the live exchange of the ACDD with other ASEAN member states and through USAID’s continued support, the Philippines will be able to accelerate its compliance with meeting additional regional ASEAN-endorsed commitments.
“The launch of the USAID-supported ACDD management system in partnership with the Philippines Bureau of Customs is a significant step forward to allow both the government and people of the Philippines to effectively harness the benefits of cross-border trade flows while incorporating international best practices in customs technology, said Jennifer Crow, Acting Deputy Mission Director for USAID/Philippines. “Building customs and trade systems that offer greater predictability, visibility, and transparency, will help Filipino exporters expand their markets and maximize opportunities.”
A BOC public outreach campaign, supported by USAID, is underway and includes NSW and ACDD tutorial video presentations to help client traders learn more.
Learn more: [API fact sheet, omnibus video, and ACDD Tutorial]