Noypi.ph: Abolishing the Bureau of Customs and rebuilding it from Scratch

Abolishing the Bureau of Customs and rebuilding it from Scratch
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Jess Fernando on 02/26/2012 13:00:00

To restructure the system in the Bureau of Customs, abolishing it and rebuilding
from scratch is possible.

The only good thing about the resignation of Paulino C. Elevado IV, the
Porsche-driving Customs clerk is the Bureau of Customs gets rid of one of its
crooks. People dream of one day, multitudes of the likes of Elevado could have
gone amok displaying their notoriety of excesses catch by CCTV, earned tsunami
of indignation, and resigned en masse. Then, the new Custom Chief, Rufino Biazon
would have a starting point for his wish … “If we really want to change the
system we might as well abolish the bureau and rebuild from scratch.”
To abolish the Bureau of Customs and rebuild it from scratch is feasible. All it
needs is a political will. It is not an outright abolition that is needed, but a
phase out abolition; phasing it in such a way it wouldn’t hamper much the
business it brings in to the government. The abolition could be done by Congress
through legislation or by Executive Fiat. Details of how the phase out abolition
would be carried out would be embodied in the law or fiat created for this
purpose.
Old personnel, who, many of them had this corrupt culture in their core would be
first to go by attrition with their benefits given. Those younger ones, part of
the criteria for them to be retained in their post would be the scrutiny of
their SALN (Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net worth). If they failed
on the lifestyle check, they would have to go, too, with their benefits.
Others who pass the lifestyle check will be sent to training to inculcate in
their minds that corrupt practices they were aware of in their short stint in
the bureau has no place for resurrection, else, they will have no job. As the
phasing in progresses, newly minted personnel would have to join the workforce
carrying with them the technical, the scientific, and the value requirement of
the jobs, and the objectives of why they have been hired to work in the bureau
in the first place.  To harness political will is the biggest obstacle for Chief
Rufino Biazon’s desire, or for the wishes of the Filipinos.
For years, the corrupt practices in the Bureau of Custom had its tentacles
gripped tight on politicians, bureaucrats and unscrupulous businessmen. And
these people, whose appetite for the material wealth and the power attributed to
it is insatiable, will do their might to maintain the status quo. For years,
these people had smartened up and adept playing all kinds of tricks in placating
the government.
From time to time, they would show big bust, for example, of smuggling
syndicate, or make their target collection a little higher from that of what's
expected of them. Usually, these tricks appear when a new chief or leader has
appointed to the helm.    Iron will, can work in tandem with political will,
however. A leader who possesses the twin combinations might succeed abolishing
the Bureau of Customs and rebuilding it from scratch restructuring a new system.
Who that leader could be?