Radiation Safety Experts inspect POM X-ray Facility

The danger of having nuclear radioactive materials contaminated shipments entering the country as a result of a nuclear facility disaster in Fukushima, Japan has underscored the importance of high-tech detection equipment of the Bureau of Customs like the container x-ray machines, which has a built-in radioactive monitoring system, to calm down the concerns of the local consumers.

            This develop as group of radiation safety experts coming from the Department of Health and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, headed by Ma. Gladys R. Cabrera of the Bureau of Health and Devices Technology and Estrella Caseria of the Radiation Protection Service, respectively, has inspected just recently last April 15, 2011 the radiation monitoring system of the customs container x-ray machines of their capabilities to detect nuclear radioactive materials inside containerized shipments.

            According to POM Field Officer and concurrent BOC Radiation Safety Officer Renato Palgan, the regular inspection was made after Atty. Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, the Head of X-ray Inspection Project, wrote a letter to the Director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute to assess the standards of the radiation monitoring devices of the BOC to ensure that radioactive-contaminated shipments are apprehended at the port of entries before they are release by Customs officers.

              Palgan added, “although initial findings showed that the machines can indeed detect the radioactive sample sources brought by the radiation safety experts, we still have to wait for their formal scientific report that would be submitted to us soon by them and it was observed during the test that the system alarms every time a radioactive substance passes through the detector.”

He further added that as a safety measures for its personnel, the X-ray Inspection Project has been provided by the PNRI with a radiation film badge and Thermo-luminescent Device (TLD) to gauge their respective radiation dose.

Aside from radioactive substance, the x-ray machines have also detected drugs, explosives and other dangerous chemicals in the past and instrumental in the collection for payment of additional duties and taxes of highly dutiable shipments after x-ray scanning inspection.

Radiation Safety Experts from the Department of Health and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute inspect the customs container x-ray machines at the Port of Manila on April 15,2011 to check their capabilities to detect radioactive materials inside containerized shipments especially those coming from Fukushima, Japan, which experienced lately a worst nuclear waste disaster, from entering into the country. Shown from left to right are POM Field Officer and Customs Radiation Safety Officer Renato D. Palgan, Ma. Teresa A. Salabit of PNRI, Vincent Dalin of DOH, Radiation Protection Service Head Estrella Caseria of PNRI, Bureau of Health and Devices Technology Head Ma. Gladys R. Cabrera of DOH, Eileen Hernandez of PNRI, Ronald Piquero of PNRI, Kristine Marie Romallosa of PNRI, Julie Cruz of DOH, X-ray Inspector Romel Enriquez and X-ray Inspector Sevilliano Pelayo, both from Bureau of Customs.

BOCXOA to hold 3rd BOC Chess Tourney

As part of its continuing tradition to promote camaraderie and goodwill among customs officials, employees, brokers and other port stakeholders, the Bureau of Customs X-ray Operators Association, Inc. (BOCXOA), in cooperation with the Customs Grayknights Brotherhood, Inc. and the Bureau of Customs Chess Club, Inc., will sponsor a chess tournament from April 25 to May 20, 2011 which will be held at the MICP Law Division Office. The tournament will be its third since the organization started holding the annual affair in 2009.

BOCXOA President and BOCXOA Multi-Purpose Cooperative Chairman Renato Palgan said that the chess tournament is a regular sport fest of the association as part of its program in promoting the well-being among the customs personnel especially the ranks of customs x-ray operators.

“We choose the chess tournament from among other sports events simply because playing chess is like developing the image analysis skills of our x-ray inspectors wherein you must have a good grasp of mental images of shipments for you to detect any misdeclaration and anomaly inside the shipment, just like having a keen analysis of your opponent’s next moves to win a chess game. And in both cases, all your brain faculties must be functioning extremely well to become a winner in a chess game and a top caliber, world-class x-ray inspector on image analysis,” Palgan said on the holding of annual chess tournament.

He likewise invited all chess enthusiasts in the customs community to participate by registering at the POM X-ray Field Office or the MICP Law Division.

The BOCXOA is an association of technically-trained customs officials and personnel on how to properly operate the x-ray machines and they are duly recognized by the Department of Health, which is the regulatory agency in the use of linear accelerator source of radiation, while the Customs Grayknights Brotherhood, Inc. is a social organization of former cadets and graduates of the Philippine Military Academy who are working with the Bureau of Customs.

Officers of the sponsoring organizations of the upcoming 3^rd BOCXOA Chess Tournament which will start on April 25, 2011 pose for a picture of posterity at the office of POM Field Officer Renato D. Palgan. Left to right: Bambi Purisima, publisher of the Manila Sun Newspaper; Julius Mates (PMA Class ’95), Secretary-General of the Customs Grayknights Brotherhood, Inc.; Renato Palgan (PMA Class ’88), President of the Bureau of Customs X-ray Operators Association, Inc. (BOCXOA) and the Customs Grayknights Brotherhood, Inc.; and Atty. Manuel Relorcasa, Chief of the MICP Law Division and the Chairman of the Customs Chess Club, Inc. The BOCXOA Chess Tournament, which is an annual sport event in the Bureau of Customs, participated in by chess enthusiasts among customs officers and personnel and other port stakeholders, is also supported by the Customs Chess Club and the Customs Grayknights Brotherhood, an organization of former cadets and alumni of the Philippine Military Academy who are working with the Bureau of Customs.