After spending months inside customs storage, more than a hundred balikbayan boxes sent by overseas Filipino workers are finally being returned to the families they were meant for, following the government’s decision to waive the charges required for their release.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed on Tuesday that the Bureau of Customs has begun distributing items recovered from abandoned container vans, including 130 balikbayan boxes that had remained unclaimed at the agency’s facilities. The announcement was made during his speech at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
The President explained that the boxes were originally shipped by OFWs but were never retrieved because duties and taxes were not settled by the consignees. As a result, the shipments were left idle, with some stored at the Bureau of Customs for nearly a year.
“We have now started the process of releasing and returning them, because these do not belong to the government. They belong to our OFWs,” Marcos said.
He noted that several of the boxes were intended as holiday packages sent last year, prompting the administration to fast-track their release ahead of the coming Christmas season. “We will make every effort—some of these were sent as Christmas gifts last year—so that at long last, we can try to ensure that the owners receive them before Christmas arrives again,” he added.
Under existing customs regulations, qualified Filipinos abroad, including OFWs, are allowed to send balikbayan boxes to the Philippines without paying duties and taxes, provided specific conditions are met. Customs Administrative Order No. 01-2018 sets a ceiling of ₱150,000 for the total value of the contents, which must consist only of personal and household items.
The same rules prohibit shipments in commercial quantities or items meant for sale or trade. The tax-free privilege is also limited to a maximum of three shipments per year for each eligible sender.
If any of these conditions are violated or the allowed frequency is exceeded, the Bureau of Customs is authorized to impose the appropriate duties and taxes before the boxes can be released to their recipients.
