One Love: Rekindling my CHILDHOOD DREAM… TO BE A CUSTOMS BROKER

WILMA

What do you want to become when you grow up? The typical answer would be a teacher, a doctor or an engineer. But as early as 10 years old, I knew I wanted to be a Customs Broker. My childhood dream was pursued by taking a Bachelor’s Degree in Customs Administration. When I was in my college days I fell in love learning Tariff and Customs Law and Computation. My ONE love! Have I told you that I got 91% in Computation in the customs broker board exam? Naks! Tooting my horn!

CCBI

I am delighted to announce that after many years living abroad, the Chamber of Customs Broker (Accredited Professional Organization of Philippine’s Professional Regulation Commission) created its Singapore Chapter. And my name was inked in history as one of its founding officers.

I am blessed to be appointed as PRO and as one of Singapore Chapter officers, we will do our best to help and be a contributor in developing and enhancing Customs Broker as a reputable profession in and out of the Philippines.

CCBI SINGAPORE CHAPTER —APPOINTED OFFICERS

FREIGHT/LOGISTICS ANALYST

As professionals we need to upgrade our skills and being an analyst is an outstanding way to develop our brokerage expertise.

Below is the career map shown by Mr. Roger Lee in CCBI Goes International:

Most of the companies here in Singapore are looking not only for a Customer Service or Coordinator but they are eyeing people that possess knowledge on how to handle tools like pivot table for reporting or data handling/tracking.

CUSTOMS BROKERS OF THE FUTURE

As I have said in this post titled Evolution of Logistics Analyst, analyst is the new and best thing not only for career but also for businesses involved in logistics/warehousing/freight forwarding businesses.

And I do hope that in the near future, logistics, supply chain, brokerage companies will be aware of the power of data they own right now and how to harness it to solve their problems and how to take advantage to increase a firm’s profit.

For Customs Brokers in the Philippines that want to kickstart their upskilling or retooling, you can check-out DataSense Analytics or Project SPARTA for free courses with certificates and for those who have the budget to learn, you can look for Eskwelabs!

That’s all for now! See you in the FUTURE FELLOW CUSTOMS BROKERS!

Singapore Maritime Week 2012

I practiced my profession as a licensed customs broker in my homeland, Philippines, and our country is known for graft and corruption in the Bureau of Customs. I tried to change but I proved that was not a possible task to do. One man is not enough to do the change I want it to be. I am easily fed-up to that phase of my career so I decided to leave the port and be one of the brain inside one company. I supervised men, yes men, but clean and new brokers were also eaten up by the money-first mentality. This is not lower down ego and status of Philippines' BOC but this is the loud scream of pain that I felt for our country.

When I got here in Singapore, I was astounded. Finally I see the reality that I was hoping before for Philippines' port and customs process. Firstly I am culture shocked due to the fast-phase of every days work. But every now and then I see the difference, I saw the reason why many investors came here to put up their trading company and how kind the people behind the ports operations and Singapore Customs.

The import and export processing here is as easy as 1-2-3. No need to go to customs house just to file documents. No need to go the bank just to pay duties and taxes and most specially you can track your containers because all trailers and prime movers have their own GPS devices. Safe, fast as one click from our PCs and specially no red-tape. I am happy for Singapore and I am hoping in the near future this will happen too to Philippines' BOC.

Now that is Maritime Week were celebrated I am so glad when I saw the exhibit at VivoCity. The more I read facts on every zone the more I am thankful that I am here and experiencing the way that I want to work and be part of the import-export trading of a country. More containers to come MPA! Congratulations and thank you!