The BOCXOA President’s DIARY

  (Third of a series)

(With the noble intention of sharing some important pieces of information and facts to my fellow workers in the X-ray Inspection Project, especially to the new generation of x-ray inspectors, I decided to publicly write the entries of my diary which for me, I think, are considered legacies and important events in my life in the X-ray Unit. I have no doubts that these were the moment that can be treasured in the annals of the x-ray history. 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- inclusions of other relevant things are conspicuously omitted, maybe it is due to the simple reason that I was not directly part of it.)

October 2002. My First Taste of Promotion in the Bureau of Customs

            I thought then that the month of October would be just another ordinary month of the year with usual Christmas festivity is already on the air. For a long-time x-ray operative like me at MICP whose routine include the conduct of x-ray inspection on consolidation shipment or balikbayan boxes using the Rapiscan X-ray Machine and witnessing the physical examination of containers by the Customs Examiner at the CSF Ramp, nothing perhaps could be sweeter than hearing the news that you are promoted to the position you are aspiring for.

            Yes, I was conducting x-ray inspection on balikbayan boxes consigned to LBC, when Roger Agias, my fellow x-ray operator at the MICP, informed me that my name was in the list of personnel who were promoted as Customs Operations Officer III at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. I immediately verified the news at the Human Resources Management Division and confirmed the story to be true.

            Alas, after ten long years of dedicated service with Bureau of Customs, and six good years of which were devoted to the Scanning Unit, I was finally promoted from SAI to COO III!

            My promotion, I knew, was a result of sacrifice, hardwork, competence and merit. Although I have had frustration in the system of promotion, I was still grateful that I was included for I knew there are still so many Customs employees who are rendering more than ten years of service in the Bureau and, yet, up to now they have never been promoted to a higher position.

           

As soon as I had assumed my work at the NAIA as COOIII, I reported back to my place of work at the MICP as x-ray operator after my personal request for transfer was approved by Col. Jose Yuchongco and then Collector Napoleon Morales. I knew that I can served better the Bureau by being at the Customs Scanning Unit because of my wide technical experience in x-ray operation than being a Customs Examiner. If only then there is a plantilla position for x-ray personnel, I knew my first taste of promotion would come from my field of work in the Scanning Unit.

September 2003. My First task in the Container X-ray Scanner Project of the BOC

            When I read Customs Administrative Oder No. 1-2002, which was issued by Commissioner Bernardo in January 2002, providing for the use of x-ray machine as an alternative to physical examination to speed up the examination of containerized shipments, I was wondering what kind of x-ray machine that this CMO is talking about. My idea of x-ray machine was confined to the kind of x-ray machine that we have been using at the Customs Scanning for almost ten years and never in my wildest imagination that a new technology can scanned a whole container van at one time, without necessarily opening it and getting out the cargo one by one.

           

And more than a year after the administrative order was issued, I was told to report to the Project Manager of Scanning Unit, Col. Jose Yuchongco, for I will be given a special assignment. As I reported to the Project Manager, I was ordered to make a comparative study on the volume of container traffic in the major ports of entry in the country to rationalize the request of the Scanning Unit of at least seven container x-ray machines that will be forwarded to the office of the commissioner as soon as possible. Without wasting so much of the time, I immediately followed the marching order given to me and went to various offices in the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Ports Authority to gather relevant data as much as I could, and scanned the internet for other information that have something to do with my research. With my special assignment, I was able to obtain a good grasp of what container x-ray container machine is all about, recording every technical specification about the product from the leading suppliers around the world. In just a few weeks time, I became well-verse of the x-ray technology as a result of my research.

           

Since my instruction was to limit my focus of study on the volume of container traffic in the major ports of entry only, my assignment was finished in two weeks time and submitted my final output to the Project manager on the following week. And to inform as well my fellow x-ray workers on the result of my study, I decided to publish it on the succeeding issue of our newsletter, thereby bringing their level of awareness that container x-ray inspection system is the new trend in non-intrusive cargo inspection and not anymore the usual x-ray machine that we have been using for so many years in the Scanning Unit.

May 2003. BOCXOA elected a new set of officers

            After one year of its existence, founded at the POM Cooperative Canteen in May 2002, the Bureau of customs X-ray Operation Association elected its new set of officers during the General Assembly Meeting at the Maxim’s Restaurant along Ermita Avenue, Manila. Among present during the election were four x-ray operators representing the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, all four x-ray operators assigned at the Port of Manila and five x-ray operators from the MICP. Considering that the BOCXOA was an infant organization representing only the x-ray operators of the Bureau of Customs, the number of x-ray operators in attendance was enough to constitute a quorum.

           

After a dinner was hosted by the MICP delegation, the election of officers immediately followed and the following were unanimously elected: Blas Mahinay as the new President, replacing Pedro Gutierrez, Edwin Bondoc as Vice-President, Ver Mupas as Treasurer, Benjamin Cajucom as Auditor, Edgardo Galang, John Turqueza, Jun Pelayo, Bernabe Cevallos and Darwin Navarro as PROs. I was re-elected as Secretary – General of the association. Later on, Mahinay laid out his plans and programs during his incumbency by strengthening the membership of the association and by forging a good working relationship with other organizations in the Bureau.

            One remarkable accomplishment during Mahinay’s presidency was the level of awareness on radiation safety procedures among the x-ray operators as they conduct x-ray inspection in their respective workplace. The BOCXOA had also have a good working relationship with the Department of Health and initiated the conduct of Radiation Safety Seminar at the DOH Training Center. However, a grief ensued among the x-ray operators when one of our comrades, Ebert Samson, who was assigned at the NAIA, suddenly passed away due to cancer of pancreas.  The BOCXOAns lost a good x-ray operator with the untimely death of Ebert and the entire membership made a final tribute in his wake.

(To be continued)

            

The BOCXOA President’s DIARY

 (Second of a series)

(With the noble intention of sharing some important pieces of information and facts to my fellow workers in the X-ray Inspection Project, especially to the new generation of x-ray inspectors, I decided to publicly write the entries of my diary which for me, I think, are considered legacies and important events in my life in the X-ray Unit. I have no doubts that these were the moments that can be treasured in the annals of the x-ray history. 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.)

May 1998.  My First-Ever Commendation Letter as X-ray Operative

                On May 5, 1998, a commendation letter was handed to me by Capt. Vicente Aseron, our Asst. Project Manager of the Interim Scanning Unit. Although I was able to detect and apprehend various shipments on several occasions as x-ray operator at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in the past, I was really surprised  to receive such commendation coming from a top ranking Customs official because it was my first time in  almost six years of dedicated service in the Bureau of Customs. The commendation was in connection with the x-ray scanning conducted on a shipment declared as stone craft, consigned to a certain Eddie Mackay, that arrived at a NAIA Bonded Warehouse, and was found to contain fifty(50) units of ALINCO Mobile transceivers and twenty(20) units of Motorola VHF radio transceivers. That shipment was seized in favor of the government.

                As a result of this first commendation I received, my passion and eagerness to scan  any kind of shipment at the NAIA intensified. I would always volunteered whenever there was an x-ray operation, without any complain even if the operation would last until midnight. And the commendation I got was just the beginning of similar citations I received later on in relation to my work as an x-ray operative. As of my last count, I obtained a total of nine commendations, all related to the apprehensions I made.

July 1998.  The First Major “Earthquake” to Hit the Scanning Unit

                The atmosphere at the Customs community was so uncertain. The new President of the country, His Excellency Joseph Estrada, had assumed office last month after winning the Presidential Election last May and the President had just appointed Pedro Mendoza as the new Commissioner of Customs, replacing Commissioner Parayno.

                As a consequence of leadership change at the Bureau, Commissioner Mendoza made a major reshuffle on the different district collectors, including the heads of various services and units – and the Scanning Unit was one of them. Collector Guillermo Pedro Francia replaced Collector Edward dela Cuesta as Project Manager of the X-ray Component of the Scanning Unit, while Capt. Vicente Aseron retained his post as Assistant Project Manager.

                For the x-ray operatives, there were around ten personnel that were affected by the reshuffle and all of them were ordered to return back to their respective mother units. I could vividly recall the  emotional outburst of feelings by some of the affected personnel as they protested to Capt. Aseron their reassignment as being done in bad faith and motivated purely by jealousy, intrigues and personal vendetta. Those well-trained personnel, whom I knew pretty well when I joined the Scanning Unit, mostly belonged to the Enforcement and Security Service and they served the Unit with utmost dedication and professionalism. As I pondered upon the situation, I kept on asking myself why they had to suffer such fate. I surmised that I must have to accept the reality that reassignments and designations in the Bureau are solely the prerogatives of the appointing authority.  Whatever good deeds I have done for the service, anything would come to waste if somebody else is more powerful and interested in my post. And I thought then that it was perhaps the first and last reshuffle to hit the Scanning Unit, but I was proven wrong.

September 1998. The Second and Deadliest “Earthquake” Yet to Hit the Scanning   Unit

Two months after the first reshuffle of the Scanning Unit, a second “earthquake” with greater intensity suddenly struck  and caught everyone by surprise. Nobody thought of it as a forthcoming tragedy because the reshuffle made by the commissioner had just been completed. And compared with the first one, this time the “casualty” was bigger in number and the scope was wider.

                Col. Jose Yuchongco took the reign of leadership from Coll. Francia, while Capt. Modesto Samson replaced Capt. Vicente Aseron.  Aside from the change of top leadership, more than half of the x-ray operatives were relieved and ordered to return back to their respective mother units. Of all the people being affected by the reshuffle, I was hurt when I knew that Capt. Aseron was included. We had worked together when we were still members of the Special Study Team that laid down the foundations for the creation of the Interim  Scanning Unit, and he was one of the very few good and knowledgeable persons I knew of in the team. When we were both included as members in the newly-created Unit by Commissioner Parayno, from among the members of the study team, he used to tell me and his friends – just like a proud father to me – that he was the one who got me  as his administrative officer from my former assignment at the CIIS. And as we parted our ways, I would find time to visit him at the ESS Headquarters which was located then near Pier 15. Whenever I saw him sitting under the mango tree, together with the rest of ESS personnel affected by the reshuffle, the more painful for me to accept that my former head, whom I greatly admired and regarded as “the father of the Scanning Unit” was consigned to the “Philippine Navy” while waiting for his new assignment.

                Although I survived once again from this another “calamity”, I was reassigned to the Manila International Container Port X-ray Unit, where most of the personnel assigned  were new acquaintances to me. I was told by Col. Yuchongco that Cesar Albano, the new MICP Team Leader, requested for my reassignment.  Mr. Albano was the x-ray supervisor during the time of Coll. Dela Cuesta and we  had a chance of working together at the NAIA.

                Aside from the personnel component, even the structural set up was never spared by the shake up. The operational control of the Unit was transferred from the Office of the Commissioner to the Intelligence and Enforcement Group, with no less than President Estrada signing the transfer.

                As I was assigned at the MICP, I kept on  wondering  what life would have been to my former comrades  who were returned to their mother units while I was slowly adjusting to my new workplace and establishing rapport with my new companions, most of whom had just attended a training on the use of x-ray machines. There was no problem with my work; Conducting X-ray inspection has already been a part of my life. And as I indulged myself in a scholarly fashion of dissecting and reexamining the problems facing the Unit which I helped to create, together with some progressive minded personnel of the MICP Scanning Unit, never did I realize that the seeds of unionism and the advocacy for the protection of x-ray workers rights and interests had been planted.

April 2002. The Birth of the Bureau of Customs X-ray Operators Association

Since the early part of 2002, the Scanning Unit was continuously in a state of uncertainties over endless false accusations and innuendos against some of its members from various stories in the Customs tabloid newspapers. Sometimes, if there were indeed wrongdoings of one or two x-ray operators, they would be magnified with intense proportions so that the public would create a negative perception of the entire x-ray operators. There was a general sentiment then among the silent majority of x-ray operators that they must have a national organization to make a united stand on important issues pertaining to their welfare and to institutionalize a mechanism that will channel their common goals and aspirations.

   Thus, on April 16, 2002, ten brave and daring souls - Pedro Gutierrez, Edwin Bondoc, Blas Mahinay, Bernabe Cevallos, Servillano Pelayo, Cayetano Pimentel, Benjamin Cajucom, Virgilio Mupas, Bernardo Evangelista, and I - formally initiated the first organizational meeting of x-ray operators at the Cooperative Canteen of the Port of Manila and founded the  now popularly known  Bureau of Customs X-ray Operators Association (BOCXOA).

After long and extensive deliberations, the founders agreed on the objectives of the Association. As crafted under its Constitution and By- Laws, the objectives emphasized the overwhelming sentiments of its members at that time. These are the following:

1. To-ensure the full implementation of CMO 30-96, otherwise known as “Program Development for The Creation of a Customs Scanning Career Service within the Bureau”, through collective actions and representation with the management.

2.    To promote professional growth of the x-ray Operators by lobbying for a bureau-wide human resource development program that will establish plantilla positions in the field of Customs x-ray inspection;

3.    To ensure better working conditions in the workplace by providing protective equipments and materials as well as healthcare benefits to the x-ray operators;

4.    To police the ranks of X-ray Operators  from misfits and undesirable; and,

5.    To help foster greater solidarity among to its members through group activities.

During the early days of its existence, the BOCXOA suffered difficulties due to financial limitation in implementing its plans and programs, as well as the apprehensions by some members and Customs top officials that the association might become progressive and too radical. However, these things did not stop the founding members from pursuing their goals. These challenges even made them to work harder in fulfilling their plans. And on the following month, the association decided to affiliate itself with the Bureau of Customs Employees Associations (BOCEA) and was graciously accepted by its top leadership, making the BOCXOA a recognized organization within the Bureau representing the x-ray workers.

September 2002. The Maiden Issue of the Scanner, the official Newsletter of

                              BOCXOA

To inform the public of its advocacy and stand on various issues facing their welfare, the association issued its first-ever official newsletter, called the Scanner, to the Customs community. In its 8-page maiden issue with a circulation of 500 copies distributed mainly to Customs officials and employees, the founders laid down the association’s constitution and by-laws, the accomplishment of the Scanning Unit, the historical development of x-ray machines, their common stand on relevant issues as expressed on the editorial page and other internal concerns within the Scanning Unit.

As a result of its first publicity, the association earned a lot of praises from various sectors and became an instant popular organization among the Customs employees, with its membership rising dramatically in other out ports in just a short span of time. Thus, the strength of the associations can be felt in the Customs community through the circulation of the newsletter and the press releases it made on a number of issues affecting its welfare.

(To be continued)

                 

               

               

3 XIP Officers Attend International Conference on Radiation Protection in Argentina

            Three X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) officers, namely, XIP Head Atty. Ma. Lourdes V. Mangaoang, POM Field Officer and  BOC Radiation Safety Officer Renato D. Palgan, and Port of Cebu Radiation Safety Officer Laurentino Villamar, Jr., had recently  attended the 12^th International Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association held in Buenos Aires, Argentina last October 19-24, 2008. They were part of the 6-man Philippine Delegation that included representatives from the Department of Health and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute.

            With a theme “Strengthening Radiation Protection Worldwide”, the conference aims to enlighten the participants with the latest developments on a wide range of topics and issues concerning radiation protection. These include, among others, the biological effects of radiation exposure, the development of radiation protection framework, the development of protection policies and culture, emergency planning and response, as well as the application of radiation protection in security and cargo screening.

            The international conference was first of its kind being attended by the representatives of the X-ray Inspection Project of the Bureau of Customs upon the invitation from the Argentina Radiation Protection Association and the Philippine Association of Radiation Protection. It may be recalled that the Bureau of Customs has thirty units of container x-ray machines that use linear accelerator-sourced of radiation in screening containerized cargoes, and the proper practices and application of these machines is one of the primary concerns of the XIP for the protection of its personnel and the general public. And the establishment, development and implementation of its radiation protection program is regulated by the Department of Health.

POM X-ray 2008 Year-End Accomplishments bared

20 shipments of the 53 alerted shipments were issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention

The POM X-ray Field Office has recently installed its 2008 Year- end Accomplishments Report to the X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) Head, Atty. Lourdes V. Mangaoang, CEO VI. According to POM X-ray Field Officer Renato D. Palgan, last year’s accomplishments were generally considered big compared to the previous year performance due to the seizures of several shipments and the detections of several irregularities perpetuated by some unscrupulous brokers and importers. The following were some of its major accomplishments;

1.       Seizure of Brand New Completely Built Motorcycles with brand name Motoposh Motorcycle, 4 units of Brand New Completely Built Motorcycles with no marks, 682 pieces of Motorcycle Rims  and 1 set of Generator, which were part of a shipment of 1x40’ Container Van No. CLHU 8757693, STC 60 cartons of barnd new CKD parts of Motorcycle LX150-9b, covered by Entry No. C-9534, with B/L No. SNKOMNL22061004, consigned to Victoria Motors Corporation.

2.       Seizure of 1 drum of Sodium Cyanide, which was part of a shipment of 1x40’ Container Van No. MOPAU 0448328, STC 948 cans of Raw Material of Shoe Sole, covered by Entry No. C-18511, consigned to Fine Sole Manufacturing Corp, Inc.

3.       Seizure of 3,024 cartons of Moonfish, which were part of a shipment of 1x40’ Container Van No. WHLU 7717611, STC Frozen Mackerel, covered by Entry No. 42705, with B/L No. CHNO804245, consigned to Jomark Food Corporation.

4.       Seizure of 116 pieces of Used Tires, which were part of a shipment of 2x40’ Container Van Nos. GESU 5101805 and APHU 6751303, STC Used Diesel Engines/Truck Replacement Parts, covered by Entry No. C-56312, consigned to Mega Sales Center.

5.       Seizure of 130 pieces of Tables, which were part of a shipment of 1x40’ Container Van No. TCNU9074680, covered by Entry No. C-59606, consigned to Sam-Sing Import-Export Enterprises.

6.       Seizure of one unit of Backhoe which was part of a shipment of 1x40’ Container Van No. TGHU9113319, STC 753 packages of Hot Water Boiler and others, covered by Entry No. C-100203 and considered to Namsong Golf Resort Corporation.

7.       Seizure of four drums of unidentified chemicals which were part of a shipment of 1x20’ Container Van No. SITU2931817, STC Second Hand Steel Plate with Welding flux covered by Entry No. C-99744, and consigned to HEXA trading.

8.       Seizure of a whole Shipment of Brand New Tires for Motorcycle in a 1x40’ Container Van No.GATU8676156, STC 620 Rolls Flaps covered by entry No.C-102122 and consigned to LMG International Trading.

9.       Seizure of a whole shipment of Bonsai Plants and Pots in a 1x40’ Container Van No. FCIU8278195, STC 600 cartons of Porcelain and Clay pots covered by Entry No. C-110625, and consigned to Lepar Trading International.

10.   Seizure of a whole shipment of Korean Wines and other imported items in a 1x40’ Container Van No. HJCU1339408, STC Fabrics, covered by Entry No. 111556, and consigned to Jandee World Merchandise.

11.   Seizure of a whole shipment of Animal Feeds in 3x40’ Container Vans, STC 2,970 bags of Ferrous Sulfate Monohydrate, covered by Entry No. C-115425, and consigned to MDLD Interchemical Industries.

12.   Seizure of one drum of Coning Oil in a 1x20’ Container Van No. DFSU2300700, STC nylon covered by Peza Entry No. C-24724, and consigned to East Valley Fibers Corp.

13.   Seizure of several boxes of cell phones of assorted models in a 1x40’ Containers Van No.  BHCU4957611, STC Accessories, and consigned to Gold Patch Link Corporation said shipment was issued a Decree of  Abandonment after its consignee failed to find the necessary import documents within a one-month period as prescribed by law.

14.   Seizure of a whole shipment of Lenovo Computer Sets in a 1x40’ Containers Van No. WHLU4157914, STC 26 Pallets of Idea Center UL CSA Power Cord, covered by B/L no. DMCQYAT2468631 consigned, to Hanjo Marketing.

15.   Seizure of two units of motorcycle which were part of a shipment of 1x40’ Container Van No. NYKU 5560389 STC 225 cartons of house hold goods 95 pieces of Household Fixtures and Furnitures.

16.   Seizure of a whole shipment of 18 drums of DI-Ethylhexyl Phthalate 24 bulk size and 44 regular size sacks of unidentified white powdery substance in a 1x40’  Container Van No. WHLU5088778, STC PVC Sraps, covered by PEZA Entry No. 24651, and consigned to SSS Development Inc.

Aside from the seizures of several shipments Palgan added it also been able to surpass its target as being set for them in the plans and programs of the XIP. These include among others. The following;

1.       Issuance of Fifty-four (54) Alert Orders Against Various Shipments

      This Office has alerted fifty-four (54) shipments consigned to various consignees. Of the total 54 alert orders, forty-six (46) shipments were regular consumption entries, five (5) reefers, one (1) informal entry or consolidation, and two (2) PEZA-bound shipments. Moreover, fourty-one (41) from the alerted shipments were manually tagged by this Office.

2.       Issuance of twenty (20) Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD)

      Of the fifty-four (54) alerted shipments by this Office, twenty (20) shipments were issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention, and two (2) of which were issued a Decree of Abandonment by the POM District Collector of Customs.

3.       Collection of Additional Duties and Taxes and Total Amount of WSD Shipments

      This Office has been able to collect additional duties and taxes amounting to Php 11,893,675.31 from a total of seven hundred fifty-three (753) container vans which were subjected to physical examination due to suspicious images on the x-ray monitor. Also, the total worth of entire shipments subjected to Warrant of Seizure and Detention amounted to Php 82,126,400.00. Thus, a total amount of Php 94,020,075.31 was realized from both WSD shipments and additional duties and taxes.

4.       Accomplishments Photo Gallery

      As of this date, this Office has a photo exhibit of around twenty-two (22) pictures which are considered as our major accomplishments. Our accomplishments gallery will showcase to our visitors the effectiveness of our x-ray machines in detecting smuggling and other forms of fraud inside the container vans.

5.       X-ray Image Library

      Aside from the compilation of a hardcopy of x-ray images, this Office has also have a database of some x-ray images which are important in making analysis and comparison in confronting similar x-ray image problems in the future.

6.        X-ray Facility MERALCO Power Supply

      Our X-ray Facility has been using a MERALCO electrical power supply since August this year for the smooth and economical operation of our x-ray machines.

7.       Issuance of the Scanner Newsletter

      For widest dissemination and information of our accomplishments, we have published two separate issues of our Scanner Newsletter last May and September and distributed them to the Customs community.

8.       Discovery of Fake X-ray Printout Images

      With the intensified x-ray inspection by this Office against suspected shipments already being felt by unscrupulous importers and brokers, fake x-ray printout images had been discovered last May by X-ray Inspector John Mar Morales that led to the filing of appropriate charges against the concerned personnel.

9.       Discovery of Falsified Container Van Numbers

       In October, this Office noted that shipments being manually-tagged were unusually released from the container yards even without subjecting them to x-ray inspection, although proper notification had been made to the Assessment Division and concerned personnel assigned at Gate No. 6. Because of these established patterns of releasing shipments without x-ray inspection, X-ray Inspector Andre Umali was able to establish that brokers deliberately falsified the container van numbers that were encoded on the e-connect program to evade x-ray inspection, however, when the broker encoded the same container van numbers on the import entry, the correct container van numbers will be reflected on the import entry to enable him or her to process the shipment and eventually release it at Gate No. 6. With these findings, a formal complaint had been filed against the concerned brokerage firm responsible for these anomalies before the proper Customs authorities.

10.   First Accomplishment on Informal Entry Shipment

      This Office scored its first accomplishment on informal entry shipment when a cargo of 1x40’ Container Van No. NYKU 5560389, STC Personal Effects, covered by Entry Nos. 97042-97073, consigned to VCG Customs Brokerage, was x-rayed this month and found to contain motorcycles on the x-ray monitor. Said shipment was manually-tagged by this Office after it had been examined at Warehouse No. 1 and about to leave at Gate No. 6.

11.   Participation in Workshop and Poster Contest Relating to X-ray Inspection

      In response to the invitation made by the World Customs Organization, this Field Office presented a paper and a power-point presentation on the effectiveness of our Office in  fighting smuggling and detecting other forms of irregularities inside the container vans during the X-ray Image Analysis Workshop in Australia last March. Besides, we also participated in the poster contest on radiation technology sponsored by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute this month, highlighting the effectiveness of linear accelerator-source of radiation of our mobile x-ray scanners in cargo examination.

12.   Monthly Radiation Test and Procurement of Hand-held Radiation Detection Equipment

      To ensure the safety of all x-ray workers, a monthly radiation test is conducted around the facility to find out if there is any leakage of x-ray radiations and to ensure that proper distances of areas classified as controlled and public have been properly observed at all times. X-ray personnel are also provided with radiation film badge every two months for their individual radiation dose monitoring. Moreover, the PNRI donated last September two sets of hand-held radiation detection equipment to this Office which are now being used in detecting radioactive cargoes inside the container vans.

Another high-end Computers discovered by POM X-ray

            The POM X-ray Field Office has foiled another attempt to smuggle 225 units of high-end Lenovo desktop computers worth Php 12 Million.

           

            Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales, who represented to the media the seized items together with the XIP Head Collector Lourdes Mangaoang last January 9, 2009, said the Lenovo desktop PCs were consigned to Hanjo Corporation which was suspended and charged for the attempted smuggling of Lenovo laptop computers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last year.

“Actually, this is the same consignee who misdeclared 192 Lenovo laptops last year as laptop bags, and now they have tried the same thing for the desktops,” he said

            The forty-footer shipment was placed under alert upon its arrival at the Port of Manila by the POM X-ray Field Office and after its consignee failed to file the necessary import entry within the 30-day reglamentary period, it has been subjected to x-ray inspection which validated the x-ray operatives for the issuance of alert order and the subsequent abandonment by its consignee of the shipment since the contents of the container van were more than just power cord as declared on the import manifest

“The images showed boxes of different sizes and configurations which are definitely suspicious since only one item is being declared by its consignee in the manifest”, said X-ray Field Officer Renato Palgan

            During an actual examination it revealed 225 units of Lenovo Keyboards and mouse and 340 pieces of power cords.

            Commissioner Morales also presented to the media a PEZA-bound forty-footer container van consigned to S & S Industries Development, Inc. from Korea which was declared to contain PVC scraps but was found to contain Php 3 Million worth of chemicals when subjected to x-ray inspection. Although there were indeed PVC scraps near the door of the container van, x-ray images showed that more than half of the shipment were undeclared, comprising of 18 drums of Di-Octyl Phthalate chemicals and 68 sacks  of various sizes containing unidentified white powdery substance.

“We are going to submit samples of the white powder for laboratory test to find out its true content”’ Palgan added.

Pursuant to Custom Memorandum Order 17-2008, PEZA bound shipments are subjected to x-ray inspection.

                                                                                                                                                           

            

Commissioner Alvarez inspects POM X-ray Facility

            To learn more about on how the X-ray Inspection Project conduct a non-intrusive  inspection of containerized cargoes and to know better the working conditions of his men, Commissioner Angelito Alvarez made a surprise inspection at the POM Field Office and the POM X-ray Facility last October 22. POM X-ray Field Officer Renato Palgan assisted and explained to the visiting commissioner the procedures in conducting x-ray inspection, the daily volume of shipment subject for x-ray inspection, as well as some of the problems encountered during its operation.

            Commissioner Alvarez discussed to the POM X-ray officers and men of his planned to maximize the use of x-ray scanners by deploying more x-ray machine at the major ports of entry and increasing the volume of shipments subject for x-ray.

The visit of the Customs top-ranking official at the POM X-ray Facility was seen by many x-ray personnel as a morale booster and a recognition of their efforts and achievement in anti-smuggling campaigns as shown  by their numerous accomplishments in the past.

The Korea Study Tour: A Reflection Paper

by Renato Palgan

During my study tour to South Korea last month, which was organized and sponsored by the National College of Public Administration and Governance of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, as part of the innovative learning process in the application of theories in doctoral class of public admnistration being taught inside the classroom, I had observed that the administrative culture and procedures of various institutions that we visited and considered as the key government agencies in the political, economic, social and cultural development of the Korean society have efficiently and effectively performed their assigned mandate. What especially caught me with amazement and surprise, as I reflect these institutions with their counterpart institutions that we have in our country, is the herculean tasked that they played in shaping the Korean society into what is now familiarly known as a modern and well- developed Republic of South Korea. In my almost four days of stay at the said country, I had personally witnessed the level of their national development which is now far, far away compared with that of our country, inspite of the fact that it had literally rose from the ashes of the Korean War in the 1950s that pulverized its industries, economic and political infrastructures and the situation of our country, during the same period of our history, was second only to Japan in Asia in terms of economic development, which is the reason why we were considered then as the emerging “Tiger Economy” in the region. That was really the glorious period of our nation’s history that had already been overtaken with so many despicable events, political crisis and conflicts, secessionist movements and insurgency, and even mismanagement of the economy and national affairs by the political leadership, that finally brought our country into now the “Sick man of Asia” and a laggard among our Southeast Asian neighbors, with exceptions to a very few countries.

In South Korea, the Korean Civic Education Institute for Democracy (KOCEI), as an information campaign unit of the National Election Commission, has performed a pro-active role in educating and promoting public participation in the electoral and political system of liberal democracy. Aside from enhancing public awareness, it has also maintained and preserved its democratic ideals and electoral integrity by eliminating the past practices of illegal election campaigns, vote buying and rigging, violence against candidates and illegal intervention into the voting and counting process. Even the young generations of students at their very early elementary years, who are considered as the future leaders of their country, are already indoctrinated with the positive values of good governance and liberal democracy by the institute.

Because of this unique role played by the National Election Commission, which is an independent constitutional body in Korea, the people can elect a good quality of political leaders in their unicameral legislature, the National Assembly, and other elective national and local positions in the government. Even their system of representation in the legislature is quite unique compared with our own system of bicameral legislature whose party-list representation at the Lower House is often marred with confusion and chaos of who really among them truly represent the marginalized sectors of our society. Its National Assembly representatives comprise of a single- member constituencies and a representative through proportional representation. And it cannot be dissolved by the sitting president even in times of national emergency. As a result of their efficient political system, the conduct of political exercises is quite clean, honest and free due to in some ways to the subsidy given by the national government to the dominant political parties for them to conduct a decent campaigns.

With the financial independence of political parties, those running for elective political positions need not worry for campaign contributions from the big business conglomerates and other so-called power-makers because they can sustain their own campaign expenses and they won’t be beholden to anybody as a form of political debt to vested interest individuals just like what happens to most of our politicians. In contrast with the Philippine context, participation and awareness of the people in the political system is mainly done by the media and not by the COMELEC, only during political election period when the people have the opportunity to elect their preferred candidates basing mainly on the candidates’ popularity and the capacity to buy votes, and not in terms of the principles and platforms that the candidates stand for. Thus, we have a low quality of politicians elected in both Houses of Congress and this is only a manifestation of uninformed citizens who are not fully aware of their duties and responsibilities in maintaining an honest and good political system. Our own COMELEC does not have an educational institute like KOCEI, neither our bicameral legislature is truly representatives of the people because of the existence of “guns, goons, and gold” political culture during election period. These are just some of the salient limitations of our COMELEC and bicameral legislature that have existed in our midst for quiet so long time now. And our institutions in promoting public participation need to learn something from the Korean experience.

Aside from KOCEI and the national assembly, another government institutions in Korea that are considered as the vanguards of accountability and transparency in governance are the Board of Audit and Inspection, which is a constitutional and independent agency tasked to audit and inspect government institutions, and the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, which is the only government anti-corruption agency. Between the two, the latter has a unique and prominent role to play in maintaining a good governance, like conducting a prompt investigation of any allegation of wrongdoings in the government, providing financial rewards and benefits to those who report of any corruption committed and found the allegation to be true after formal investigation, and protecting the whistle-blower and his or her immediate families. Although it is the only anti-corruption body, yet, it has surpassed the expectation of the people in providing a clean, honest and efficient bureaucracy. Again, comparing the Korean experience with the Philippines’ own anti-corruption campaign, a distinguishable difference of our own anti-corruption bodies is that we have so many formal anti-corruption organizations like the Ombudsman, Department of Justice, NBI, Presidential Commission on Good Government, Revenue Integrity Protection Service, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit and now, the Truth Commission, sprouting in the different agencies of the government and, yet, we have a poor performance in anti-corruption campaign compared with them. Based on some critical account published in the newspapers, the existence of these agencies is mainly to enforce and prosecute violators of anti-corruption laws and they lack a sound preventive policy on corruption.

            But beyond all these government institutions mentioned is the existence of key political personalities in certain period of time in Korean politics that provides a great leadership in guiding its nation to economic prosperity. President Park Chung Hee’s leadership in Korea, for instance, was almost synonymous to national modernization of Korean society, although the rise to economic development was also seen by many as a decline of political development due to the existence of military dictatorship in running the affairs of government and the people were deprived of their participation in choosing their leaders. In contrast with the Philippine context, the rise of Marcos dictatorship towards the end of his second term as president could have been a good opportunity to do the same path as what President Park did in Korea. But this thing did not happen. What Marcos’ cronies did was to plunder our national treasury for personal gains while making the country deeply sink into foreign debt and poverty. The brand of leadership between the two prominent leaders of both the South Korea and the Philippines history really makes the difference in the course of political and economic development between the two nations.

            Finally, but not the least, one of the distinctive traits of the Korean people, of which the Filipino people do not have, is their very high sense of patriotism and nationalism. The government institutions in South Korea like the KOCEI, BAI and ACRC could not have been so effective and efficient if these agencies are being manned and run by people who have no sense of purpose in loving their motherland. It is noteworthy to observe people like the Koreans who are binded together by a common desire to improve their society, to achieve worthy and noble things, to enhance the good name of their race and to the glory of their country, rather than seeking one’s own selfish interest. These good attributes of the Korean people can be seen daily as very few incidence of criminality, if not totally absent, in their society. They are so discipline and clean people as shown in the clean environment. No garbage and trashes can be found on the streets, no squatter shanties along the streets and river banks, and no stray dogs and cats can be found. Even their flea markets have no flies. If we, Filipinos, would only have the same national character of discipline, patriotism and nationalism, we can easily solve most of our major political, economic, social and cultural problems. The Korean Industrialization is brought about by their nationalistic inspiration to become an industrialized country. It is the kind of nationalistic progress that the Koreans have advanced greatly that we Filipinos are extremely wanting to be. But with the presence of thousands of Koreans living in our country today, it is not far fetch that we will be colonized by their culture and character, which is something good that we have to assimilate and imbibe from them.