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BOC orders delivery of all abandoned, unpaid OFW balikbayan boxes for free

Philippines | National

BOC orders delivery of all abandoned, unpaid OFW balikbayan boxes for free

By Aaron Recuenco

Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz has ordered the delivery of all balikbayan boxes that were abandoned in a warehouse in Sta. Ana, Manila.

Ruiz said the move is response to the numerous complaints of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) about their gifts and other items for their relatives that remain undelivered for a long time now.

photo: Ali Vicoy

"For the welfare of the OFWs and their families, BOC allocated resources to deliver the boxes directly to recipients," said Ruiz.

"The BOC will not collect any fee for the delivery of balikbayan boxes. Claimants only need to present any government ID, copy of the receipt and/or authorization letter if boxes will be received by their representative," he added.

He said the delivery would take one week for NCR, one to two weeks for Luzon, and two to four weeks for Visayas and Mindanao.

The decision to deliver the balikbayan boxes for free was an offshoot of the meeting with the Department of Trade and Industry-Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau and the Department of Migrant Workers.

photo: Ali Vicoy

One of those discussed was the creation of a Balikbayan Box One-Stop-Shop and the drafting of an inter-agency agreement to stop similar illicit activities.

"As part of its long-term solution, the BOC is pushing for policy measures to thwart similar balikbayan boxes schemes of unscrupulous consolidators abroad," said Ruiz.

He said the BOC also recommended the review and amend the Philippine Shippers' Bureau (PSB) - Administrative Order No. 06 series of 2005; reinstitute the accreditation of deconsolidators with BOC, and file appropriate cases against errant freight forwarders.

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