MANILA, Philippines – Bureau of Customs (BOC) chief Nicanor Faeldon said reviewing and improving his employees’ compensation will be his “top priority.”

“I will review immediately how to improve the compensation of the rank-and-file of the bureau. I will make that my top priority. I reviewed your salaries and it’s really not competitive,” Faeldon said in a statement on Saturday, July 9. 

“I’ve already informed the relevant office of the bureau to immediately release your expenditures so that ‘yung ballpen at papel ninyo ay ‘di na kayo ang bibili [so that you won’t have to buy your ballpens and paper],” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier branded the BOC as one of the most corrupt in the bureaucracy, but Faeldon assured employees he will not be firing them. (READ: Faeldon: No firing at customs, just reforms) 

“There are many rumors outside the Bureau of Customs. We will give you the benefit of the doubt. I believe that you are all honest,” Faeldon said on Saturday.  

The former Marine captain added that he would treat these reports as rumors until he has gathered enough evidence to prove otherwise. (READ: What awaits incoming Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon?)

“No one can reform this bureau except you. Tayo lang ang makakagawa nito (We are the only ones who can do this). I will rise with you,” Faeldon promised to his employees.

“Please do whatever you can to not frustrate the people. They cannot wait for more than 6 months for the bureau to get fixed,” he said. 

Faeldon recently hired 20 former mutineers from the Magdalo group to work for BOC posts requiring “outdoor functions.”

The BOC chief was one of the alleged leaders of the botched Oakwood mutiny against the Arroyo administration in 2003. They have since been released from detention. – Rappler.com