Thousands of abandoned “balikbayan” boxes containing personal items and food sent by overseas Filipino workers will finally be delivered to their families within the next two months, customs officials announced Friday.
Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the agency aims to complete the door-to-door delivery of the packages, some of which have been languishing at the Manila International Container Port for more than two years.
“Hopefully within 60 days, but we are not sure how fast our forwarders can do it,” Nepomuceno said during an inspection of more than 100 container vans. “What is important is we will release these containers in the next few days.”
The balikbayan box is a cultural touchstone for the millions of Filipinos working abroad, typically filled with clothing, canned goods, and household items intended as gifts for relatives back home. The abandonment of these boxes by unscrupulous or bankrupt forwarders has long been a source of distress for migrant workers and their families.
The Bureau of Customs is coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers to facilitate the handover of the containers to local forwarders for final delivery. The inspection on Friday was conducted alongside agents from the National Bureau of Investigation.
The move follows an order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who recently approved the use of government funds to cover the costs of the door-to-door delivery, ensuring the packages reach their rightful owners across the archipelago at no additional cost to the families.
Authorities have advised the public to monitor the Bureau of Customs website for updates on the status of specific shipments.
