FINANCE Secretary Ralph Recto has welcomed the appointment of Ariel Nepomuceno as the new commisioner of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Department of Finance (DOF) said.
In a social media post on Monday evening, the DOF said Recto is confident that the new leadership will further intensify the BOC’s tax administration efforts and modernization initiatives.
Recto also thanked former BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio for his leadership in enhancing trade and customs operations in the Philippines.
Nepomuceno formerly served as executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and undersecretary of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
“The Finance Chief is grateful for the hard work and contributions of outgoing Commissioner Rubio and is looking forward to working closely with Commissioner Nepomuceno in sustaining and accelerating the country’s economic growth,” the DOF said.
The president on Monday administered the oath of office to Nepomuceno in Malacañang.
The Presidential Communications Office did not give a reason for Rubio’s replacement. He was among heads of agencies and presidential appointees who submitted their courtesy resignations in May as part of a cabinet recalibration.
Aside from his posts at the OCD and NDRRMC, Nepomuceno also served as BOC’s deputy commissioner for the Enforcement Group from 2013 to 2017 and as assistant commissioner from 2017 to 2018.
He graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in History degree. He holds an executive MBA degree in Business Administration and Management from the Asian Institute of Management, and also studied briefly at the Philippine Military Academy.
