Stricter customs rules imposed to protect OFW balikbayan boxes

CEBU, Philippines — In a move aimed at safeguarding the valuable packages sent home by millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto has introduced new regulations to ensure the safe and timely delivery of balikbayan boxes.

The strengthened guidelines come through a newly signed Joint Administrative Order (JAO), which aims to streamline customs procedures and crack down on fraudulent shipping operators. The initiative supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s broader agenda to recognize and protect OFWs, who contribute significantly to the country’s economy.

“It is our duty to defend every peso our OFWs send home—including what’s inside their balikbayan boxes,” Secretary Recto stated. “This JAO ensures that your shipments do not fall into the hands of unscrupulous consolidators.”

Recto emphasized that the government will do everything to guarantee that these packages—often containing gifts, goods, and essentials—reach their intended recipients complete, safe, and on time.

Key Highlights of the Joint Administrative Order:

* Stricter Oversight: The Department of Finance (DOF), along with the Bureau of Customs (BOC), will lead efforts to oversee the proper and timely release of balikbayan boxes.

* Registration Requirements: Deconsolidators (local entities who receive shipments) will now be required to register and meet specific standards. The BOC will issue detailed rules for their registration and accountability.

* Transparency Measures: An official list of registered deconsolidators, reports of undelivered boxes, and their delivery status will be made publicly available on the BOC website.

* Accountability for Delays and Abandonment: Procedures will be established for dealing with abandoned boxes, including mechanisms for legitimate deconsolidators to pay the necessary fees to release these packages.

* Penalties for Violators: The BOC will also define grounds for suspending, canceling, or revoking registrations of deconsolidators who fail to meet obligations.

This multi-agency initiative was jointly issued by the DOF, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the BOC, and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

The new order directly addresses long-standing complaints from OFWs about lost or delayed balikbayan boxes, often due to neglect or fraudulent practices by unregistered handlers.

Previously, Secretary Recto also championed legislation increasing the tax-exempt value of pasalubong or gifts brought or sent home by OFWs.

The JAO will become effective 30 days after its publication in at least two national newspapers and its official filing with the Office of the National Administrative Register at the University of the Philippines Law Center in Diliman, Quezon City.

For millions of OFW families waiting for boxes filled with love from abroad, the government’s latest action brings renewed hope for safer, faster deliveries—and long-overdue accountability. — (FREEMAN)