For thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers, a simple box carries more than gifts.
It carries love.
Sacrifice.
Years of hard work packed carefully inside.
And after long delays that left many families anxious and frustrated, the “last batch” of stalled balikbayan boxes has finally been released.
On Thursday, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) confirmed that the final wave of delayed shipments is now being processed and delivered. Together with the Department of Finance (DOF), authorities began distributing the first batch of this final wave on Wednesday at the Port of Manila.
It’s a moment many OFWs have been waiting for.
The final wave consists of 72 containers — an estimated 24,536 balikbayan boxes in total.
So far, 14 containers have already been dispatched. The remaining 58 are now undergoing processing.
Behind those numbers are real families.
Children waiting for promised shoes.
Parents expecting medicines.
Loved ones holding on to packages sent with hope.
BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno acknowledged the deeper issue at hand.
“This is about restoring trust and protecting our OFWs,” he said.
He stressed that the government’s commitment goes beyond simply delivering the abandoned boxes.
“We are committed not only to completing the delivery,” Nepomuceno added, “but also to reforming systems, enforcing accountability, and ensuring that such abuses are not repeated.”
For many OFWs, the delays were more than an inconvenience. They were painful reminders of vulnerability — of how easily trust can be broken.
To address concerns, authorities held a dialogue with affected workers. Questions were raised. Frustrations aired. Assurances given.
At the same time, both the DOF and BOC are extending assistance to OFWs who wish to file legal cases with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against freight forwarders involved in the delays and alleged abandonment of shipments.
Officials are also urging vigilance.
OFWs are reminded to transact only with licensed, reputable, and verifiable freight forwarders to avoid similar heartbreak in the future.
For now, though, there is relief.
Relief that the boxes are finally moving.
Relief that answers are being demanded.
Relief that promises — though delayed — are being fulfilled.
Because for an OFW, a balikbayan box is never just a box.
It is proof that no matter how far they go…
Home is always in their heart.
