WITH its 2007 collection at risk of not being attained due to reduced imports and exports attributed to the strong peso, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) can console itself this Christmas with its 2006 performance that got it a huge P539-million reward for exceeding its given target of P197 billion by P2.2 billion.

The release of the reward is all but approved by the Interagency Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC) after a year of delay. There is also one other reward—none of its employees will be kicked out as called for by the Lateral Attrition Act for offices that do not perform to standard.

Customs deputy commissioner Reynaldo Umali reported the good news Thursday, adding the agency will immediately distribute it to its 3,382 personnel within the month.

Umali said the reward had already been approved but will be formalized in their meeting today by the DBCC’s executive technical board.

“The fund will be drawn from the Revenue Incentives Fund created pursuant to the lateral attrition law, in which 80 percent will be allotted for cash incentives while the remaining 20 percent will be earmarked for non cash incentives,” he added.

Under the formula developed by the DBCC with the United States Agency for International Development, P432 million of the reward will be given out as cash incentive and the rest—P107.8 million—will be in noncash incentives, such as office  improvement, purchase of equipment, and other tools to “enhance the performance” of personnel, like computers and air-conditioning units.

“It will not be equal for all. Everybody will receive rewards but in some ports, it might be minimal, especially if they failed to meet their target. However, we also consider the fact that we would not have achieved our surplus if not for them,” said Umali.

In addition to the financial incentives, the BOC will not kick out employees in units that failed to meet their target for 2006 such as at the Manila International Container Port, Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Port of Cagayan de Oro, which all collected below their respective targets in 2006.

The attrition law, which took effect this year, is a carrot-and-stick approach that gives monetary reward to performing employees and axes those who do not.

City officials, Public Works executives in graft cases

THE Ombudsman for the Visayas on Wednesday filed graft charges against Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza and other city officials for the alleged overpriced purchase of personal computer sets and 10 regional officials of the Public Works department for alleged irregularities in the acquisition of surveillance cameras used during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Cebu in January.

VEHICULAR traffic in Metro Manila remained normal but leaders of militant groups that declared the nationally coordinated protest actions on Thursday said the transport strike was “successful” even before they started.

WITH its 2007 collection at risk of not being attained due to reduced imports and exports attributed to the strong peso, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) can console itself this Christmas with its 2006 performance that got it a huge P539-million reward for exceeding its given target of P197 billion by P2.2 billion.

FOR uniting a politically fragmented nation during his fights, boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao was named Ambassador of Peace, along with nine others, Wednesday night at the Quirino Grandstand during the launching of the Global Peace Festival, an international initiative that seeks to forge world peace.

THE National Police is taking an active role in the case monitoring and tracking efforts of Task Force 211, or the Task Force Against Political Violence, created by President Arroyo through Administrative Order 211.

THE Senate moved to reprimand Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Armed Forces chief Hermogenes Esperon and National Police chief Avelino Razon for snubbing an invitation to testify at an inquiry into the “warrantless arrests” of journalists who covered the November 29 Peninsula Manila Hotel standoff.

THE Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) on Thursday demanded the payment of more than P700 million in unpaid allowances following Malacañang’s announcement of a P10,000 performance bonus each to government workers.