Cagayan de Oro City (04/21/08) -- A total collection of Php2.631 billion have been posted by the Bureau of Customs, Collection District 10, last year, up by 39.37% over its collection of Php1.888 billion in 2006.

“Bouyed up by additional collections from the Mindanao Container Terminal Port (MCTP), BOC-10 posted an excess of Php288.162 million or 12.30% compared to its target for the year of Php2.343 billion,” Atty. Abedin P. Macapasir, District Collector, said.

He said the considerable increase in collection translated into a high annual collection rate of 112% with the month of October posting the highest increase, from Php161.407 million to Php307.097 million or 90.26%.

This was followed by July which posted an increase from Php153.935 million to Php244.035 million or 58.53%, June, from Php215.219 million to Php241.253 million or 12.10% and November, from Php185.786 million to Php241.241 million or 29.85%.

September, from Php152.456 million to Php235.650 million or 54.57%, May, from Php129.103 million to Php224.834 million or 74.15%, August, from Php154.550 million to Php218.892 million or 41.63% and March, from Php156.459 million to Php200.062 million or 27.87%.

April, from Php155.788 million to Php193.675 million or 24.32%, January, from Php123.537 million to Php179.37 million or 45.20%, December, from PhpPhp119.026 million to Php178.334 million or 49.83%. However, collection for the month of February went down, from Php180.566 million to Php166.718 million or negative17.67%.

Macapasir said of the four (4) ports within BOC-10’s area of responsibility, the Cagayan de Oro Port posted the highest collection of Php1.636 billion accounting for 62% of its total collection for the year.

Again, this was followed by MCTP with Php731.705 million or 28 %, Iligan Port, Php261.640 million or 10% and Ozamiz Port, Php1.879 million or about 1%.

Meanwhile, BOC-10 has reported an actual collection of Php901.106 million during the first quarter of 2008 thereby posting an excess of Php311.107 million over its target for the period of Php590 million.

The highest collection for the quarter was in the month of January with Php342.084 million which posted an excess of Php142.084 million or 41% over its target of Php200 million.

Next was March, Php281.238 million with an excess of Php71,237,614.81 or 25% over its target of Php210 million and February, Php277.785 million with an excess of Php97.749 million or 35% over its target of Php180 million.

Collections for the quarter was also 38% higher compared to Php546.141 million, its actual collection for the same period of 2006, Macapasir added. (Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob, Philippine Information Agency-10).