As global trade continues to flourish, improving customs clearance efficiency has become a crucial factor in economic development. In this context, the Philippines officially launched its National Time Release Study (TRS) on July 3, 2025, marking a significant step in reforming maritime import-export clearance processes.
The two-week study, conducted at Manila International Container Port (MICP), represents a strategic collaboration between the Philippines' Trade Facilitation Committee (PTFC), the World Customs Organization (WCO), and the UK's HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), aligning with WCO's Accelerate Trade Facilitation program.
Multi-Stakeholder Initiative
The launch ceremony, hosted by PTFC, brought together senior officials from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), various trade regulatory agencies, and private sector representatives. Participants unanimously recognized the TRS as a vital diagnostic and performance evaluation tool, emphasizing its potential to identify bottlenecks and enhance clearance efficiency.
As the country's largest container port, MICP plays a pivotal role in optimizing maritime trade. Improvements in its operations are expected to significantly boost the Philippines' regional competitiveness.
Comprehensive Data Collection Underway
During the two-week on-site support mission, WCO experts completed several critical tasks including scope confirmation, business process mapping, sampling method validation, and finalization of the TRS questionnaire. The team also updated the data dictionary to establish a foundation for subsequent data collection.
Real-time data capture at MICP is currently in progress, documenting both automated and manual timestamps throughout the import-export clearance process. This data will undergo cross-verification with system records for accuracy. PTFC's TRS technical working group has begun validating and analyzing the collected data to derive preliminary insights.
Roadmap for Trade Facilitation
Building on preparatory virtual consultations with the TRS working group, the project leverages WCO's Accelerate Trade Facilitation approach. The final TRS report, expected by late 2025, will provide evidence-based recommendations to streamline cargo clearance and support PTFC's nationwide coordination efforts.
PTFC plans to conduct regular TRS studies at various border points, ensuring compliance with Article 7.6 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement which requires members to measure and publish average cargo release times.
The ongoing collaboration between WCO, BOC, and PTFC aims to achieve sustainable trade facilitation outcomes while strengthening the Philippines' institutional capacity and economic vitality.