THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said that the Philippines and Indonesia have adopted an electronic Phytosanitary (e-Phyto) certificate system to ensure the security of the trade in agricultural goods within the region.
“This initiative not only enhances trade efficiency but also strengthens economic ties among member states, paving the way for a more unified and prosperous ASEAN region,” Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio said in a statement.
The e-Phyto certificate is the electronic version of a phytosanitary import certificate, which certifies that agricultural goods are pest and disease-free.
The exchange was done through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Single Window (ASW). The Philippines joined the regional platform in 2019, which connects each country’s National Single Window (NSW) to transact and exchange customs documents.
“The BoC e-Phyto Portal also has access to the e-Phyto certificates issued by the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Plant Industry, the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), as well as to e-Phyto certificates issued by the respective NPPOs of exporting countries,” the BoC added.
The Philippines and Thailand hope to begin their exchange by the end of the month.
The BoC said that it will continue to “collaborate with ASEAN counterparts to support its priority program on conducting the study of the new generation of the ASW.”
It also said it will continue to pursue exchanges with other trade partners and work on the implementation of new customs documents and forms. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson
