The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), in partnership with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Port of Davao, has successfully turned over the first recovered balikbayan box to an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) after nearly two years of delay.
Amie Fe C. Saldaña, an OFW, finally received her long-awaited balikbayan box on May 16, 2025, at the Port of Davao in Sasa, Davao City. The long-delayed shipment was released as part of the government’s intensified efforts to address issues affecting OFW shipments, following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to prioritize the concerns of overseas Filipinos.
The turnover ceremony was attended by DMW Regional Director Maria Carolina B. Agdamag, Assistant Regional Director and Labor Attaché II Marie Rose C. Escalada, and Chief Labor and Employment Officer Catherine Marie E. Villaflores. Also present from the BOC – Port of Davao were Deputy Collector for Operations Atty. Giovanni Ferdinand A. Leynes and Deputy Collector for Administration Atty. Roswald Joseph J. Pague.
The DMW emphasized that this initiative is part of its ongoing commitment to ensure transparency, efficiency, and accountability in customs processes, particularly in handling OFW shipments. Both the DMW and BOC vowed to continue working together to resolve any remaining delays and safeguard the interests of Filipino migrant workers.
