Bureau of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales signed on the 13^th of April 2009 Customs Memorandum Order No. 15-2009 which will simplify the documentary requirements covering importer accreditation process.

Exporters, who also import their raw materials from abroad, met with Secretary Margarito Teves in March 2009 to appeal for the fast-tracking of the accreditation of importers with the BOC, a process which had cost exporters/importers so much time to due to the red-tape and the 34 documentary requirements that had to be complied with.

CMO No. 15-2009 provides that applicants for accreditation only need to secure 7 critical documents instead of 34 with the objective that the reduction of the documentary requirements will expedite the accreditation process.

During the cabinet meeting presided by Pres. Arroyo in Cebu last May 12,2009, a commitment was made by Sec. Teves that on top of the reduced documentary requirements the maximum processing time will also be reduced to 7days.  Importers and brokers who will not hear of any disapproval from BOC Manila 7 days after their applications have been stamped received by BOC Cebu could rest assured that their applications are “good as approved.”

The CMO will take effect 15 days after it is published in major newspapers, according to the document which Philexport received from the bureau on May 9, 2009.