Manifest Requirements for Vessels in Coasting Trade
- The vessel’s master must prepare and subscribe duplicate manifests before departing from a port of entry.
- Manifests must list the entire cargo, including marks and numbers of packages, destination port, and names of consignees.
- The manifest must be submitted to the collector or authorized customs official for certification.
- The master must swear that foreign goods were legally imported and duties paid or secured.
- After certification, one manifest copy is returned to the master with a permit authorizing the voyage; the duplicate is retained by customs.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
- Departure without properly made and submitted manifests results in penalties ranging from five to one hundred dollars or one dollar per net ton, at the collector’s discretion.
Exceptions and Regulatory Authority
- Cargo transported between ports in the Philippines that are not ports of entry is exempt from the manifest requirement mentioned.
- The Insular Collector of Customs, subject to regulations and approval by the Secretary of Finance and Justice, may allow vessels to depart from ports of entry using general manifests.
- Detailed manifests must then be presented within 48 hours post-departure by masters or their corresponding owners, agents, or consignees under penalty.
Manifestation of Cargo from Non-Port of Entry to Port of Entry
- All cargo loaded at non-port of entry locations intended for a port of entry must be manifested in detail and certified by the vessel’s master.
Effectivity
- The Act takes effect immediately upon its passage on March 24, 1908.