A congressman who champions overseas Filipino workers' (OFW) interests is backing the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) initiative to form a task force dedicated to addressing balikbayan box concerns—an issue made even more urgent with the onset of the Christmas season.

“Kapag Pasko, dagsa talaga ang balikbayan boxes. Pero higit pa sa mga padala, dala nito ang pagmamahal at sakripisyo ng ating mga kababayang nasa abroad (During Christmas, balikbayan boxes really come in droves. But beyond the packages, they carry the love and sacrifice of our fellow Filipinos abroad)," AGIMAT Party-list Rep. Bryan Revilla noted in a recent statement.

"Kaya timely at kailangan ang task force na ito ng BOC para mabawasan ang delays, maiwasan ang unfair fees, at masigurong makakarating ang bawat pasalubong sa tahanan ng mga Pilipino nang walang dagdag na pasakit,” he said.

(That’s why this BOC task force is timely and necessary—to reduce delays, prevent unfair fees, and ensure that every pasalubong reaches Filipino homes without added burden.)

Revilla chairs the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs in the current 20th Congress.

According to him, such task force must focus on lifting the financial strain brought by unclear duties and fees, streamlining customs procedures to prevent bottlenecks during peak season, and ensuring that regulations are clearly communicated and uniformly applied.

Equally important, the Cavite lawmaker said, is the need for strong accountability measures so that reforms are not just announced but actually implemented and felt by OFWs and their families.

“Dapat matiyak na ang mga scammer o abusadong forwarders ay hindi lang pinapatawan ng parusa kundi tuluyang maba-blacklist dahil ang bawat balikbayan box ay simbolo ng dugo at pawis ng ating mga OFW," Revilla said.

(We must ensure that scammers or abusive forwarders are not only penalized but permanently blacklisted, because every balikbayan box symbolizes the blood and sweat of our OFWs.)

He stressed: "Ayaw nating may mga padalang nabubulok lang sa mga bodega hanggang ma-expire nang walang nakikinabang, gayong ang mga ito’y nakalaan para sa mga pamilya nilang matagal nang naghihintay at sabik nang matamasa ang bunga ng kanilang pagsusumikap."

(We don’t want packages rotting in warehouses until they expire with no one benefiting from them, especially since they’re meant for families who’ve long been waiting and eager to enjoy the fruits of their loved ones’ hard work.)

The AGIMAT lawmaker also emphasized that support for OFWs must go beyond customs reforms.

He pointed to the Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan (AKSYON) Fund Program, which recently held an awarding ceremony in San Pedro City, Laguna, as one of the critical support programs for OFWs.

Under the program, 100 OFWs received assistance packages ranging from ₱50,000 to ₱100,000, with a total disbursement of ₱9.8 million.

The ceremony, spearheaded by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Regional Office IV-A, was joined by San Pedro City Mayor Art Joseph Francis Mercado, Regional Director April Casabuena, and Assistant Regional Director Karen Quilao.

“Ganito dapat ang trabaho ng gobyerno—tanggalin ang balakid at magbigay ng tunay at konkretong tulong. Parehong prinsipyo ang dala ng AKSYON Fund at ng BOC task force: karapatan ng OFWs ang transparency, efficiency, at suporta mula sa kanilang sariling gobyerno,” Revilla emphasized.

(This is how government should work—removing obstacles and providing real, concrete assistance. The AKSYON Fund and the BOC task force share the same principle: OFWs have the right to transparency, efficiency, and support from their own government.)

He also called on civil society, OFW groups, and media partners to amplify the voices of migrant workers. This will ensure that policies remain grounded in their real experiences and needs," he said.