MANILA -- As part of the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) efforts to curb corruption, the Bureau will be completing the deployment of the Automated Routing and Monitoring System (ARMS) for goods declarations by November 2021.

The system was first implemented at the Manila International Container Port last August 2021 and was gradually implemented to all other ports, namely: Ports of Manila, NAIA, Clark, Limay, Mariveles, San Fernando, Sual, Aparri, Curimao, Subic, Cebu, Dumaguete, Mactan, Batangas, Davao, Dadiangas, and Surigao, Cagayan De Oro, Ozamis, Iligan, Zamboanga, Iloilo, Legazpi, Tacloban, Isabel, and Mindanao Container Terminal. By November 2021, the ARMS will also be implemented in Port of Davao which completes the full rollout of the system.

The ARMS is an Electronic-to-Mobile (E2M) subsystem that enables an automated random assignment of consumption entries to Examiners and Appraisers. In addition, it also offers a mechanism for brokers and importers to view updates on the status of their respective goods declaration via the publicly accessible ARMS Online Portal: https://arms.customs.gov.ph/.

This system incorporates existing key features and functionalities of the Goods Declaration Verification System (GDVS); hence, the ARMS is ultimately intended to completely replace the GDVS.

Governed by Customs Memorandum Order No. 25-2021 and signed by Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero in August 2021, the system will institutionalize the “Zero Contact Policy” mandated by the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 (Republic Act No. 11032). Section 7 of RA 11032 mandates the use of a web-based software for conducting transactions in government agencies and Local Government Units. Institutionalizing such policy will suppress corruption that arises from the “suki” system, which was prevalent before the introduction of randomized assignments of goods declarations. (BOC)