Customs single window expected to raise exporter competitiveness

THE Bureau of Customs’ National Single Window-Integrated Trade Facilitation Platform (NSW-ITFP) will allow exporters to better compete within the region by lowering costs and improving the reliability of supply chains, the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) said.

“Importers and exporters used to shuttle between offices … (where) each agency had its own forms, its own queues, and its own delays. The NSW-ITFP promises to end that fragmentation,” the FPI said in a statement on Monday.

Citing the Philippines NSW website, the FPI said that 40 agencies are involved in the issuance of import and export permits, licenses, and clearances.

“If connected to a single digital portal, where one submission flows seamlessly across regulators, this will lower transaction costs for businesses, while faster clearance can improve supply chain reliability,” it said.

“This is a herculean task, but one that needs to have been started yesterday, so our country can finally move forward and be at par, to a certain extent, with our Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighbors,” it added.

FPI also expects the platform to help the Philippine integrate with the ASEAN Single Window.

“ASEAN members such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam have operated National Single Windows since the 2008-2016 period, connecting to the ASEAN Single Window by 2016 to streamline cross-border trade,” it said.

“The Philippines is in catch-up mode, and its success will depend on execution,” it added.

Once realized, the FPI foresees fewer trips to multiple agencies, faster clearance of goods, and reduced compliance costs.

“Businesses that once struggled with fragmented permits will gain easier market access, while exporters can compete more effectively in ASEAN supply chains,” it said.

“If implemented faithfully, the NSW-ITFP will lower transaction costs, improve predictability, and help local enterprises focus on growth rather than bureaucracy,” it added.

The group also welcomed the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Digital Transformation Roadmap 2025-2028, which aims to overhaul tax enforcement.

“For decades, taxpayers dreaded the letter of authority — a document that could arrive multiple times a year, often leading to harassment and confusion,” it said.

“The new roadmap promises a different approach: audits chosen by data, not discretion … By 2028, the BIR envisions a system where compliance is predictable, transparent, and far less prone to abuse,” it added.

The group expects investor confidence to be restored when unpredictability in taxation and trade is reduced.

“If these roadmaps are delivered faithfully, they could mark a turning point — where businesses no longer see government processes as obstacles but as enablers of growth,” it added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile