On 29 November 2024, the Chinese Filipino Business Club, Inc. (CFBCI) attended the 32nd National Convention of the Philippine Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (PCCBI) at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel. To represent CFBCI, President Samuel Lee Uy, Vice Chairman Jimmy Ang, and Plenary Member Sheryl Tiu attended the event which was graced with the attendance of hundreds of customs brokers, trade and industry leaders, and government officials. (CFBCI and PCCBI are both active members of the Customs Industry Consultative and Advisory Council (CICAC) established this year by the Bureau of Customs.)

PCCBI is the only accredited integrated professional organization of customs brokers in the Philippines. As of June 2024, there is a total of 15,176 customs brokers in the country who play a vital role in ensuring smooth and growth-driven trade facilitation at the national level. This year, the convention focused on the theme: “The Evolving Role of Customs Brokers in International Trade and Governance in an AI-driven World.”

Although technological advancements like Artificial Intelligence (AI) speed up customs processes, brokers are still those who oversee critical points and safeguard trade integrity. “Customs brokers are no longer just facilitators of trade; we have become essential partners in navigating the complexities of global commerce,” PCCBI President, Dr. Anthony A. Cristobal said.

The National Convention Program began at 8:30 in the morning. Hon. Liza Araneta Marcos, First Lady of the Philippines, served as the official keynote speaker of the program. After an hour, the series of plenary talks started with a total of 9 experts discussing topics relevant to this year’s theme. The first plenary speaker was no other than but Hon. Bienvenido Y. Rubio, Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, and he tackled the Bureau’s roadmap on innovation and trade facilitation. Aside from the plenary talks, the convention also had four open forums through which the attendees could freely ask questions and share their insights on the topics at hand.

All in all, the day-long convention was successful, and PCCBI is assured that the attending organizations and agencies will join them in modernizing customs processes for the greater benefit of our countrymen. In today’s modern era where technology never ceases to develop, CFBCI supports PCCBI in its commitment to excellence and adaptability.

As highlighted by Director John M. Simon of the Bureau of Customs, we must work together to achieve the vision of “a modern, world-class customs service that will pave the way for our country to become the newest economic wonder of the world.”

菲華工商總會訊：本會理事長黃書瑋偕同常務理事洪海濱、理事佘玲玲，於十一月廿九日（星期五）上午應邀出席菲律濱報關行同業商會（Philippine Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc.簡稱PCCBI）假馬尼拉大飯店Fiesta Pavilion宴會廳舉辦第卅二屆全國代表大會，本屆主題為「在人工智能驅動的世界中，報關行在國際貿易和治理中不斷演變的角色」。活動由菲律濱報關商會會長Anthony A. Cristobal博士親自主持，菲律濱第一夫人Liza Araneta-Marcos擔任主賓，海關局局長海關局局長Bienvenido Y. Rubio專題演講，共有三千多位報關行業者、商會代表及政府官員出席共襄盛舉。大會共邀請了九位專業人士，舉辦了四場開放式論壇，與會者可以自由提問，分享他們對相關主題的見解。

會長Anthony A. Cristobal博士致歡迎詞時說，雖然人工智慧 (AI) 等技術進步加快了海關流程，但報關經紀人仍然是監督關鍵環節和保障貿易完整性的人。海關經紀人不再只是貿易的促進者，我們已經成為縱橫全球複雜貿易的重要合作夥伴。

Bienvenido Y. Rubio局長在第一場專題演講中，分享海關局創新與貿易便利化的各項規定和措施，並解答所有與會人士對演講議題內容的各項疑問。隨後，另外受邀的八位專業人士，也分別上台講解有關本屆代表大會的主題，分享專業意見。海關局處長John M. Simon也在會中呼籲大家共同努力，實現「現代化、世界級的海關服務，為我國成為世界最新經濟奇蹟鋪路」的願景。

菲律濱報關行同業商會第卅二屆全國大會令人大開眼界，為海關經紀人如何適應不斷變化的國際貿易形勢提供了寶貴的見解。隨著技術對未來的不斷塑造，報關代理公司在確保貨物順利流通和保持合規性方面的作用將變得更加重要。此次大會為迎接人工智慧驅動的世界所帶來的挑戰和機遇而邁出的重要一步。

本會與菲律濱報關行同業商會均為海關局所提倡的海關產業諮詢和顧問委員會（Customs Industry Consultative and Advisory Council簡稱CICAC）的首批成員；菲律濱報關商會目前也是菲律濱唯一獲得政府認可的綜合報關專業組織。本會熱烈祝賀菲律濱報關行同業商會成功召開第卅二屆全國大會，引領科技先鋒，打造卓越品質，取得豐碩成果。為期一天的大會，使每位與會者有豐富體驗，並受益匪淺。

圖片說明：
上圖：理事長黃書瑋與菲律濱報關行同業商會成員在會場合影留念。