'Deal with legit forwarding firms'

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) on Monday reminded overseas Filipinos and OFWs planning to send items to their loved ones to deal with only accredited forwarding companies when sending home «balikbayan» boxes.

BoC Assistant Commissioner and concurrent spokesman Philip Vincent Maronilla issued the reminder to caution Filipinos abroad to avoid a repeat of the 2022 forwarding chaos that caused the non-delivery of thousands of balikbayan boxes to their intended recipients.

He advised overseas Filipinos to deal only with legitimate consolidators and deconsolidators duly accredited by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

«Exercise due diligence; verify the legitimacy of consolidators and deconsolidators when sending balikbayan boxes to prevent being victimized by unscrupulous businessmen and fly-by-night forwarding firms,» Maronilla said.

Customs records show that an estimated 1,000 container vans, each containing 460 balikbayan boxes and other consolidated shipments, arrive at the BoC every month.

Last year, some 2,000 unpaid and abandoned balikbayan boxes sent by OFWs were ordered released and delivered free of charge by the BoC after local deconsolidators failed to deliver them to the intended recipients.

Under Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) 18-2018, balikbayan boxes sent by qualified Filipinos abroad are duty and tax-free.

Balikbayan boxes may be sent up to three times in a calendar year, provided that the total value per sender shall not exceed P150,0000 and the items or goods sent are not in commercial quantities.

Qualified Filipinos abroad are those holders of valid passports issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and certified by the Department of Labor and Employment or Philippine Overseas Employment Administration for overseas employment purposes regardless of profession, non-resident Filipinos who have established permanent residency abroad but retained their Filipino citizenship, and resident Filipino citizens who temporarily stayed abroad, which may include holders of student visa, holders of investors' visa, holders of tourist visa and similar visas that allow them to establish temporary stay abroad.