The Bureau of Customs (BOC) participated in an exchange visit hosted by the United States Department of State’s Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Los Angeles, California on June 24 to 28, 2024.
BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, who led the delegation, said the visit aimed to share best practices on port security and operations.
“The best practices we have observed and the discussions we had with our US counterparts will help us when the BOC formulates new policies and improves operational guidelines when we go back to the Philippines,” he said.
The Philippine delegation toured key CBP facilities, including the Long Beach Seaport, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), US Coast Guard Marine Base and the Air and Marine Operations Center in Riverside. The delegation also included deputy commissioner Vener Baquiran and district collectors from various ports.
A key focus of the exchange was improving the Philippines’ capabilities in currency smuggling detection and contraband interdiction.
BOC officials engaged in productive exchanges with Homeland Security Investigations special agents on enforcement and investigative techniques.
“Our Philippine visitors benefited from the expertise of CBP officers in airport currency smuggling detection and enforcement, which was all arranged under the EXBS program. In the future, we are planning to bring CBP experts to the Philippines to assist the BOC in identifying travelers with undeclared currency entering and exiting the country,” said US Embassy Regional EXBS advisor Ransom Avilla.
The EXBS program, under the US State Department’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, offers training workshops for partner countries like the Philippines, featuring CBP experts and Homeland Security Investigations investigators.
The program covers various aspects of border security, including air cargo interdiction, seaport interdiction and counter-proliferation investigations.
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