The BOCXOA President's DIARY

The BOCXOA President’s Diary

(First of a series)

It is indeed a great privilege to be one of the very few persons in the X-ray Inspection Project today who have a first hand account on the development of x-ray unit in the Bureau of Customs. And to be frank about it, I really have mixed emotions on whether I am going to be proud of my personal distinction, or to be ashamed of to have witnessed the unfolding of some realities that are happening inside the unit which were never known to my fellow x-ray operatives. As I sat in my office by my lonesome, I used to ponder upon these intriguing question every now and then; Is this the kind of office it ought to be as envisioned by the framers of the Customs Scanning Career Service? After the term of office of each sitting commissioner, what will happen to us? Why can’t the Bureau create a regular organization and position for the x-ray personnel when it is already existing for almost a decade now? Does Customs politics have something to do with the non-implementation of a regular x-ray service which has a clearly defined structures and functions in the same manner with other line services of the Bureau? And why do certain personalities with vested interests are so afraid in the formation of a professional x-ray workforce? These are just some of the many questions that are endlessly flowing into my thoughts as I reflect on the x-ray unit that I have been a part of for almost a decade now.

            With the noble intention of sharing some important pieces of information and facts to my fellow workers in the x-ray unit, especially to the new generations of x-ray inspectors, I decided to publicly write the entries of my own diary which for me, I think, are considered legacies and important events in my life in the X-ray Scanning Unit. I have no doubts that these were the moments that can be treasured in the annuals of the Unit’s history to the new generations of x-ray inspectors, including those who are very eager to join as one of the so called “chosen few”, considering the big number of interested Customs employees who participated in the past trainings conducted by the Bureau of Customs and Nuchtech Company. Due to space limitations allotted for this newsletter, records in my diary are selectively chosen and summarized on a monthly basis to accommodate the truly important events. If non- inclusion of other relevant things are conspicuously omitted, maybe it is due to the simple reason that I was not directly part of it.

            These are my memorable dates as I glanced over the old, dusty pages of my diary:

            October 1996. “Reporting for Duty, Sir”. This phrase was my usual expression to my superior officials at the CIIS when I was transferred to that office after my one-year scholarship grant at the University of the Philippines. Without any inkling of what the future would be, never did I realize that this ordinary expression of mine for almost six months of my duty would dramatically change my career path in the Bureau as I reported to then Director Olores to be briefed about my new assignment. As I was standing up erect in front of his table just like a plebe reporting to my upperclassman in my cadetship, Director Olores informed me that I would be included in the Special Study Team that was formed by Commissioner Parayno for the purpose of creating a Customs Scanning Career Service to supervise the operations of modern examination equipment acquired by the Bureau through a World Bank loan, and that my new assignment is a replacement of Mr. Salvacion who earlier declined the work. Wihtout asking me whether I was also interested in taking part of the Study Team, he just assigned an Office Order and told me to complain to him later after I have complied with his order. “Yes Sir” was my only snappy reply and parting words although deep in my heart I was bothered if I have to accept another workload without knowing what to do. On the following days I found myself already participating actively discussions with the Study Team members who I have come to know later were well-known personalities in the Bureau- Capt. Federico Binuya, Capt. Vicente Aseron, Atty. Eden Dandal, Asst. Chief Edmundo Magdaraog, COOIII Rick Dizon, and others. Our meetings were held twice a week at the New Computer Building ( now called the ICT Building) and facilitated by Mr. Quirante, a consultant from the Crown Agent. The team was divided into three different groups, with each other groups has a topic to specialized. I belong to the Operation group and Capt. Aseron was my group leader. As the days went on, the group discussion had become more serious and never did I realize that my participation in the study team would also mark the beginning of the transformation of my career path in the Bureau into an unknown destiny.

            November 1996. The First X-ray Trainings in the BOC. The Bureau of Customs and the Rapiscan Security Products conducted a series of x-ray trainings at U-Freight Warehouse at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. These were the first ever trainings on the use of x-ray machines that I have known since I joined the Bureau in 1992. Several batches of participants attended the week-long training for the whole month of November, and I was included in Batch No.2 of participants.

            Our actual x-ray scanning operation was made at the basement of NAIA and it was also my first time to see how the machine operates. While doing the image analysis of the contents of the baggage on the computer monitor, my curiosity and amazement pondered me for several minutes if this technology would ever replace the role of Customs personnel in cargo examination in the future. I knew from the very beginning how idiot I could have been to be a part of the Study Team which is tasked to create a manual that Specifically discusses the operational aspects of the Proposed Scanning Service without me even knowing how the machine works, and which I come to know at that point in time. My participation had also given me the opportunity to visit for the first time the NAIA Collection District Office.

            January 1997. “Mission Accomplished, Sir”. After almost five months of discussions and deliberations with the study group, our task of producing a comprehensive manual for the creation of Customs Scanning Service has finally ended. We had submitted and presented our final output to the Customs Change Management, headed by the Commissioner himself, at the Commissioner’s Conference Room, that lasted for almost an hour. Right after our presentation, I went back to Director Olores to inform him that my task was successfully complied with and, of course, I have no complain whatsoever. Again, just like a plebe complying the task given by his upperclassman, I reported to him, “Mission accomplished, Sir”. I thought then that my professional career at the CIIS can now move on after we had submitted the scanning manual, but I was proven wrong.

                        February 1997. My First Day of Work as a Member of the Scanning Unit. Barely a month after our presentation of the proposed Customs Scanning Service Manual, Commissioner Parayno issued a Customs Memorandum Order creating an Interim Scanning Unit. Some of the major highlights of the Order were the placing of the unit under the supervision of the Chairman of Project implementation Committee who reports directly to the Commissioner of Customs, as well as the creation of two separate components of the Unit the X-ray and the Closed-Circuit TV (CCTV) Components with each one headed by a separate Project Manager. A few days later after the issuance of the CMO, Commissioner Parayno issued yet another Order but this time deploying the personnel who have undergone trainings in the use of x-ray machines and CCTV equipment into the newly-created unit, in addition to their present assignments. Several teams were created to comprise the work force of x-ray machines at the NAIA, MICP, POM, and Cebu, but there was only one team for the CCTV at the NAIA. Most of the personnel compliment came from the Enforcement and Security Service and the Assessment Group the Customs Examiners. Among the Special Study Team members, Capt Aseron and I were included in the Unit; Capt. Aseron was designated Asst. Project Manager of the X-ray Component and I was assigned as Administrative Officer. As expected, a lot of problems arose during my first day of work. I received a lot of complaints from the X-ray operatives who could not perform their duty assignments because their work at the scanning were only part-time and their regular place of assignment are quite far from the location of x-ray machines. Because of these problems, the CPO had been revised twice by the Commissioner just to accommodate the problems facing the x-ray operatives. And it was only a month later that the unit finally took off for full blast operation after all the problems concerning operational procedures and personnel assignment had been resolved.

            September 1997. My First Baptism of Fire As X-ray Operator. As the Administrative Officer, I decided to take part as X-ray operator at the NAIA to put into use what I have had learned from the previous x-ray trainings. I volunteered in Team “A” because it was a morning-shift duty at the Arrival Area, which is walking distance at the PSI Warehouse Ramp Area, where the Scanning unit main office was located. Within just few days, I got adjusted to the work and knew very well the team members although they were all first acquaintances in my work. Most of the team members belonged to the Enforcement and Security Service and formerly assigned at the NAIA ESS- District Office. The team was composed of Tony Fuentebella as the team leader while Gerry Purification, Eric Macaombang, Manuel Martinez and Wilbur Villanueva were members. There were two Customs examiners included in the team, but for some reasons, I could hardly see them when I am the Arrival Area. The moment of truth of how well I learned my lessons in x-ray image analysis finally came. As the assigned X-ray Operator in the early morning incoming flights, I scanned the checked-in baggage of passengers of flight PR102 and PR 105 that arrived from USA. From around 500 baggages I scanned from flight PR 105, I detected three balikbayan boxes containing images similar to medicines. I immediately radioed Manuel Martinez, my Spot-Checker at the Arrival customs Area, about the suspected cargoes. When the suspected passenger, who was known later to be a certain Bernardo Macre, passed through the Customs Counter, it was found out upon actual examination that the boxes were full of multi-vitamins and not anymore legitimate personal effects. Thus, it was my first-ever accomplishment as x-ray operator that earned me praises and accolades from my team members and x-ray officials. From that day and onwards, my passion to seize more prohibited and regulated items rose beyond atmospheric level that led me to a series of apprehensions during my tour of duty, like the seizure of 4 pieces radio base and transceivers with no NTC clearance form incoming passenger Ronie Banez on board Northwest flight from USA, apprehension of 2 cartons Video Compact Discs for no VRB clearance form incoming passenger Manuel Adolfor on board Singapore Airline from Singapore and the apprehension of 2 bags assorted medicines from incoming passenger Ke Ling on board China Southern Airline from China, to mention just a few. With my long listof accomplishments, I was regarded by my peers as one of the top-caliber x-ray operators at the Arrival Area.