The Philippines said on Saturday its duties collection exceeded its monthly target by 17.5 percent in April, raising the prospect of the government meeting its mid-year deficit goal.
Based on initial data, customs collection reached 10.57 billion pesos ($188.75 million) in April against a target of 8.99 billion, Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo told Reuters.
The amount collected for April was 19.9 percent higher than a year earlier, he said.
For January to April, duties collection totalled 39.76 billion pesos, 17.6 percent higher than the goal.
Bernardo said his agency's revenues in the first four months were 11.9 percent higher than the same period in 2003.
Customs collection accounted for 19 percent of the Philippine government's revenues in the first quarter while the bulk, or about 65 percent, was from taxes.
The Philippines, Asia's most active sovereign debt issuer, aims to cap its budget deficit at 79.6 billion pesos by end-June.
It said it expected to meet its revenue goal as the month of April was the deadline for tax filing for income made in 2003.