For book lovers with a penchant for international titles, there’s good news on the horizon.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently took to Facebook to remind avid readers that they can now import books into the country without worrying about customs duties and taxes.
This favorable arrangement, which has been in effect since 2014, is governed by a memorandum circular issued by the BOC.
The customs bureau, however, was quick to point out that this duty- and tax-free ruling only applies if the books are not intended for advertising purposes.
While this may bring exciting news to avid readers, the BOC highlighted that there are still limitations to consider. For one, The BOC has set restrictions on the number of copies that can be imported.
Individual importers or recipients are allowed to bring in up to six copies of a single book.
Meanwhile, institutional importers or recipients enjoy a slightly higher allowance of up to 12 copies of any one book to take advantage of the duty- and tax-free perks.