The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will process 21 container vans of abandoned balikbayan boxes of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) this week, the agency said.
In a social media post, the BOC said the container vans are scheduled for pullout and processing to facilitate door-to-door delivery to OFW families nationwide.
So far, at least 15 containers containing balikbayan boxes from overseas have already been released.
The BOC clarified that the prolonged delay in the delivery of the shipments was due to the failure of certain deconsolidators and freight forwarders to fulfill their obligations, despite having already collected payments from OFWs abroad.
On Dec. 4, BOC officials accompanied affected OFWs in filing cases with the National Bureau of Investigation against those involved.
The agency also reminded Filipinos overseas to be cautious in choosing freight forwarders, verify the legitimacy of companies, and avoid offers with unrealistically low fees that may lead to fraud.
Earlier, the BOC launched an online tracking portal for the status of balikbayan boxes. The public may check updates at the BOC website. All deliveries are free of charge.
The door-to-door delivery of the boxes began on Dec. 18 and is targeted to be completed by early January 2026.
The release and delivery of the abandoned balikbayan boxes are being carried out with the support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as part of the government’s efforts to assist OFWs affected by fraudulent freight forwarding companies. (PNA)
