The Bureau of Custom – Port of Davao (BOC-Davao) is facilitating the distribution of nearly a thousand abandoned “balikbayan” boxes to their respective claimants through the city port and the sub-port of Dadiangas.
Lawyer Erastus Sandino Austria, BOC-Davao District Collector, said in a press conference Thursday that out of the 994 abandoned boxes, 274 were distributed at the Port of Davao while 720 are at Dadiangas.
For boxes distributed in Port of Davao, 124 were already claimed, while 150 are yet to be claimed. A total of 466 boxes were picked up by consignee, while 254 remain unclaimed.
Austria said 16 containers arrived at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) from a consolidator in June and July last year, and were abandoned on Aug. 11 of the same year.
The official said the abandoned boxes were sent by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who were victimized by “unscrupulous consolidators.” He said these are forwarding companies who agreed to deliver the packages to the consignee’s address in the Philippines.
“However, no payment was made to deconsolidators or local forwarders, which has resulted in the non-settlement of duties, taxes and other charges to BOC,” he said.
Austria said the recipients of the balikbayan boxes were already notified, and they can claim it at Panabo Bypass road in Barangay Cagangohan for boxes dropped at Port of Davao, while those distributed at the sub-port of Dadiangas can claim it at the JJM Warehouse, Banisil, Barangay Tambler in General Santos City.
He said claimants won’t be paying any fee when claiming their balikbayan boxes. Consignees will only present two valid government-issued IDS, proof of shipping documents, photocopy of the sender’s passport, and authorization letter if boxes will be received by their representatives.
The BOC official said the distribution of abandoned boxes is in compliance with the order of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos to expedite its release nationwide.
Austria said the national BOC has already filed cases against the deconsolidators of the abandoned containers of the balikbayan boxes.
“The Bureau of Customs will prosecute these companies, as represented by their respective officers for their failure to do what it is that they should have done, and they have created this problem,” he said.
Meanwhile, Austria said that qualified Filipinos while abroad can send up to three times with a total declared value not exceeding P150,000 of all three balikbayan boxes in a year, provided it contains only personal and household effects, and not in commercial quantity.
The forwarded items should not also be regulated and restricted, and should be authorized by the regulating agency, he said.
Luxury items that are excluded in the privilege exemption shall be subject to payment of duties and taxes and should have complied with the law and undergone proper customs clearance. RGL
