DAVAO CITY, July 6 (PIA) – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Davao is all set once direct shipment of COVID19 vaccines starts to come in directly from the country source to the Port of Davao.

BOC Davao District Collector Atty. Erastus Sandino Austria, guest in the One Davao Virtual Presser, announced that procedures are in place and BOC personnel have rehearsed several times in anticipation of the actual direct shipment of COVID19 vaccines.

“For now, the vaccines are being cleared in NAIA which is the central hub before these are transported to all identified areas for vaccination. But we are prepared should direct shipment of vaccines will start coming into Davao Port,” said Atty. Austria.

He said BOC Davao expects direct shipment given the pronouncement of the national government and that delivery of vaccines will eventually go directly thru Davao Port.

“ Para sa pag-abot sa COVID19 vaccines thru direct shipment, ready ang tanang key actors and players ug kasabot sila sa ilahang role ug wala pud unnecessary delays nga mahitabo (When the COVID19 vaccines arrive thru direct shipment, all actors and players are ready because they understood their respective role and this will avoid unnecessary delays from happening),” Atty. Austria said.

Meanwhile, BOC also follows a process flow of COVID19 vaccines. The Aircraft Operations Division receives all pertinent documents from consignees’s nominated customs broker. The Division Chief then assigns a Boarding Team to under guard the vaccines to be released in the Tarmac Area.

The Boarding Team monitors the unloading of the vaccines from the aircraft and up to its loading in the nominated common carrier of the consignee. Finally, the COVAX Task Force Enforcement Unit escorts the vaccines from the ramp area to its designated COVID Vaccine Pharma Warehouse Facility.

BOC Davao has committed to ensure smooth implementation of procedures to provide Filipinos safe and secure supply of COVID19 vaccines. (PIA XI/Frances Mae Macapagat)