Customs says Petron was top importer in 2022

PETRON CORP. was named the top importer based on the payment of duties and taxes to the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in 2022, the Finance department said.

The Department of Finance (DoF) in a statement said the list of the top 10 importers also included Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., Unioil Petroleum Philippines, Inc., and Seaoil Philippines, Inc.

Insular Oil Corp., Filoil Logistics Corp., Chevron Philippines, Inc., Jetti Petroleum, Inc. and Nestlé Philippines, Inc. were also named as top importers last year.

The spike in oil prices last year helped Customs collect P862 billion, exceeding its full-year P721.5-billion collection target by 19%. It was also 34% higher than the P643 billion collected in 2021.

Crude oil prices surged as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022 affected global supply.

At the Port of Manila, the top three importers were Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd., SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp., and Regan Industrial Sales, Inc.

Mondelez Philippines, Inc., Atkins Import and Export Resources, and Universal Robina Corp. were the biggest importers at the Manila International Container Port.

Samsung Electronics Philippines Corp., Globe Telecom, Inc., and Louis Vuitton Philippines, Inc. were the top importers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

At the Port of Cebu, the biggest importers were Filoil Logistics Corp., Seaoil Philippines, Inc. and the National Grid Corp.

The Port of Batangas’ top importers were Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Chevron Philippines, Inc.

From Jan. 1 to March 13, the BoC collected P166.973 billion, exceeding its P153-billion target for the period.

This year, the agency is targeting to collect P901.3 billion. This consists of P570.3 billion in value-added tax from imports, P207.4 billion in excise taxes, P105.1 billion in import duties and P18.5 billion in other fees. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson