Manila: The Philippines’ customs bureau has streamlined procedures for arriving international passengers, a move that is expected to shorten clearance procedures and speed up queues.
Through Customs Administrative Order 02-2014, or the Simplified Procedures for Clearance of Baggage of Passengers, there will be two lanes designated for arriving travellers.
One lane is green, and the other red.
“All passengers arriving in international airports shall choose between the following: Green Channel for passengers with nothing to declare for import duties and taxes...or Red Channel, for passengers with goods to declare,” the administrative order, signed by Customs Commissioner John Sevilla said.
Arriving international passengers should take the Green Channel if they are bringing into the country goods that have no taxable value and import duties.
They should queue at the Red Channel “If they have goods to declare for purposes of import duties and taxes or having with them goods above the exempted customs limits, or having with them any goods or article prohibited, controlled or regulated by several statutes.”
The same rule would apply to the crew of international airlines arriving at the airport, the order said.
“Those in the Green Channel need not accomplish the declaration form for purposes of clearing accompanied baggage,” the order added.
Reports on the pending implementation of new rules come as a welcome relief for passengers who had to bear with long queues for customs processing.
“This is a good development,” lawyer Edna Pana, a frequent traveller, told Gulf News.
Pana, who travels out of the country several times a year, said the long lines at the customs clearing area were infuriating.
“This is especially true for passengers who arrived from their travel abroad and are very eager to see their family,” she said.
Customs spokesperson Charo Logarta was quoted in reports as saying that the streamlining of clearance procedures is necessary to speed up the flow of passengers arriving at the airport.
“This streamlining is in line with the directive of the customs’ will to make it easier for the general public or passengers,” she said.
Customs Administrative Order 02-2014 was issued on March 25 and is expected to take effect 15 days after the new rules are published in at least two newspapers of general circulation.