CMTA Approved at BICAM
Export Development Council
posted 16 February 2016

The Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) has been approved in the Bicameral Conference after both Houses have reconciled the Senate and House Bills of the CMTA. The bill now awaits the signature of President Benigno S. Aquino III.?

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The bill amends the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP) in compliance with the Revised Kyoto Convention which is a blueprint for ?modern and efficient customs procedures? of the World Customs Organization.?

Senator Juan Edgardo ?Sonny? Angara, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and Sponsor of S.B. No. 2968 said that the bill aims to promote transparency and accountability to Bureau of Customs through considerably reducing human intervention due to ?electronification? of customs procedure.?

Representative Romero ?Miro? Quimbo, Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means said that the CMTA will democratize transactions by redefining the role of customs brokers, it must be noted that the CMTA will be fully compliant to the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC).?

The CMTA has wide-ranging support from both the public and private sectors citing that this Bill is a tool to overhaul the Customs and update the TCCP.