THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is set to donate seized face shields and face masks to the Department of Health (DOH).
Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero said they are already in the process of turning over about 11,500 face shields, 7,000 pieces of surgical face masks, 19,000 pieces of children’s disposable face masks and 12,000 pieces of disposable adult face masks. These goods were seized in the Port of Manila.
Aside from these, a forfeited 40-foot container of various medical supplies and equipment stored in the Port of Davao would also be donated to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, according to the BOC official.
Guerrero also said they have already donated cellular phones, laptops, educational materials and other seized goods to the Department of Education (DepEd) and other government agencies.
The cellular phones and laptops from the Pork of Clark in Pampanga were turned over by the BOC to the Deped last January while learning packets from the port of Ninoy Aquino International Airport were donated last March.
From March 2020 to August this year, the BOC said in a report it has also turned over abandoned or confiscated broadcasting equipment, food items, temporary shelters, face shields and various medical supplies and equipment to government agencies.
“Rest assured that the process of donation and turnover of the items for donation are being expedited in compliance with existing laws, rules and regulations,” Guerrero said.
The BOC also donated to the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) in October last year abandoned broadcast equipment from the Port of Davao. Guerrero said the agency also donated 17 packages of live broadcasting room equipment with FM broadcast transmitter last July.
The BOC is also set to turn over to the PCOO a separate set of live broadcast room equipment and medium wave transmitter abandoned in the Port of Cebu.
Nine 40-foot containers and one 20-foot container of steel beams and accessories, 487 pieces of coated pipes and uncoated pipe tubes, 35 40-foot containers and a 20-foot container of steel parts seized in the Port of Subic were initially turned over by the BOC to the Department of Transportation. Guerrero said these are now in the process of being transferred to the Philippine Navy.
The official said the BOC will also turn over to the Navy three 20-foot empty containers located in the Port of Batangas.
The agency also turned over 40 boxes of face shields to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on July this year while a 40-foot container of Libby’s Vienna Sausage was also donated to the department on May 1, 2020.
Other seized goods turned over to the DSWD include ten boxes of assorted apparel from the Port of Iloilo last March and ten packages of canvas tents, with accessories and 2 units of stretch tents from the NAIA last August.
Eight drums of oil seized in the Port of Surigao will also be turned over to the Surigao city government, he said.