Tips to ensure that your balikbayan boxes reach its destination

Below are a few tips that you can follow to ensure that you balikbayan boxes reach it's destination.

• Declare all the contents of your balikbayan box in the packing list per item and its corresponding value, if possible, as well as your preferred shipping date. Ask for proper (or extraordinary, if needed) packing, wrapping, strapping, sealing and labeling of your box.
• Secure shipping documents such as official receipt, cargo receipt, invoice, house Bill of Lading, shippers’ declaration or waybill.
• Get the name and contact details of the consolidator’s Philippine counterpart/agent. Be sure that this information is indicated in the shipping documents that you have secured.
• Beware of exceptionally very low rates.
• Beware of persons posing as representatives of freight forwarding companies in your place. Ask for proper identification, check with the freight forwarding companies if they are an employee or authorized to represent the said companies.
• Monitor the movement of your cargo from origin to destination. You may inquire for a tracking scheme or continuously contact the forwarding company. You may ask them to provide you details of your shipment such as the name of shipping line, vessel’s name, voyage number, container number, and expected time of departure and arrival of your package. You can use the Bureau of Customs Balikbayan Box Tracker to monitor your shipment. All Balikbayan boxes sent through Forex Cargo can be track using our Tracking System that you can find here.
• You may also procure insurance for your cargoes. Ask the freight forwarding company on how to go about it.
• Inform your consignee to check your cargo with the Philippine agent even before it arrives. When it does, make sure to inspect the seal and wrapping of the box before signing the receipt of delivery. If you feel it has been tampered with, do not receive the box and ask the delivery agent to have it double-checked.
• Immediately file a complaint for any loss, non-delivery, pilfered or damaged cargo to DTI-FTEB at G/F Floor, UPRC Bldg., 315 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City or send through email at fteb@dti.gov.ph or call DTI-Direct 751-3330 or 0917-8343330 for assistance. 

Excerpt from the DTI (dti.gov.phhttp://www.dti.gov.ph/faqs#balikbayan-box-shipment)

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List contents of balikbayan boxes, BoC tells OFWs

For fear that smugglers might take advantage of balikbayan boxes to smuggle contraband into the country, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) is encouraging overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to itemize the contents of their package.

“Let us make sure that these smugglers do not use our OFWs and their balikbayan boxes to smuggle contrabands into the country,” Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon told reporters Friday.

Faeldon cited the seized balikbayan box that contain high-powered firearm from the USA recently.

The official also clarified that itemizing the contents of a balikbayan package will not cause delay on its sending and release.

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No taxes on balikbayan boxes

It is a given fact that Filipinos are everywhere and can be found in almost every nook of this globe. Based on a 2015 survey on overseas Filipinos, there are 2.4 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the world. These Filipinos, one way or another, find ways to send cash or gifts to their loved ones.

By virtue of Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), in relation to Customs Administrative Order (CAO) No. 5-2016, Balikbayan Boxes sent by Qualified Filipinos While Abroad (QFWA) are no longer subject to duties and taxes. QFWA is a collective term used to refer to non-resident Filipinos, OFWs, and resident Filipinos. The CAO covers exemption from duties and taxes of consolidated shipments of Balikbayan Boxes sent through any port of entry by QFWA to families or relatives in the Philippines.

For purposes of the exemption, a Balikbayan Box refers to a corrugated box or other container up to a maximum volume of 200,000 gross cubic centimeters, often transported by freight forwarders either by sea or air. It shall only contain personal and household effects and shall neither be in commercial quantities nor intended for barter, sale or for hire. Thus, sole proprietorships and juridical entities are not qualified to avail of the benefits.

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