The new Bureau of Customs (BOC) chief, former Marine Captain Nicanor Faeldon, wants the agency’s employees to know that he comes in peace. That means he’s not going to start firing people just like that. In fact, he wants to give them a clean slate.
Now, this may be seen as a rather controversial move. As we all know, the BOC, an attached agency of the Department of Finance (DOF), has often been tagged by citizens (including Duterte himself) as “one of the most corrupt agencies in government.”
“Faeldon pointed out that he is not treating the old-timers in BOC as a problem, but instead an asset, who will help him in reforming the graft-ridden agency,” reports Raymund F. Antonio in Manila Bulletin.
Faeldon explained, “Whether they want to fix it or not, it is all about them. This is not about me, not about the President of the Republic of the Philippines. This is about the rank and file. I will not come here and start firing people.”
He went on to tell the Customs employees: “I will start reforming the bureau from you. From among you I have strong belief that the rank and file has the capability to reform this. I think that is very clear to me from the day I accepted the job. I will reform the BOC among them.”
