Brunei Darussalam Civic Programme Opens with Focus on Government Initiatives and Digital PreparednessBureau of Customs Optimistic About 2024 Revenue Targets

Brunei Darussalam – The Brunei Darussalam Civic Programme, a long-standing initiative providing insights into government projects and fostering a spirit of national identity, especially among youths, held its latest event on the evening of 10th December at the Information Department.

According to Radio Television Brunei, Dayang Siti Bismi Nuruliman binti Haji Awang Emzah, Acting Director of Information, emphasized the programme’s ongoing efforts to stay relevant and responsive to the nation’s evolving needs. The Civic Programme aims to serve as a platform to prepare post-graduates and newly recruited officers for the digital era, highlighting its role in enhancing understanding and participation in governmental and civic matters.

Manila – the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has expressed optimism about achieving its collection target for 2024. The optimism stems from the agency’s performance in exceeding its revenue goals in the current year and the positive economic outlook projected for the next.

According to Philippines News Agency, the BOC, under the proposed Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing (BESF) for 2024, is aiming to collect over PHP1 trillion. Rubio credits this confidence to the improving economic conditions and the anticipations of beneficial trade improvements.

In a recent interview, Rubio highlighted his belief in the government’s role in bolstering the economy, noting the positive sentiments shared by secretaries at economic meetings he attended. These officials expect a decline in interest rates, leading to favorable projections for the coming year. Rubio hopes these developments will lead to an enhanced economy and, consequently, better trade outcomes.

The BOC’s recent performance supports Rubio’s optimism. Preliminary data revealed that the BOC’s collection for November surpassed its target, with a revenue of PHP75.34 billion, exceeding the goal of PHP74.25 billion. Furthermore, the BOC’s year-to-date collection of PHP813.65 billion has already outperformed the target of PHP795.66 billion by 2.2 percent.

Rubio, who became commissioner in mid-February, aspires to begin the new year with a full-term leadership to achieve or even exceed the set targets.