MANILA, Philippines — Great news for Filipino families waiting for balikbayan boxes from loved ones working abroad! 🎁🇵🇭
Two important offices in the Philippines—the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC)—just signed a big agreement to make sure these special boxes arrive faster, safely, and without getting lost.
🚢 What’s a Balikbayan Box Again?
A balikbayan box is a big package full of gifts, clothes, toys, snacks, and love sent by Filipinos working in other countries to their families back home. It’s a special way of saying “I miss you” and “I love you.” ❤️
But lately, many OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) complained that their boxes were delayed, lost, or never arrived at all. Some were even scammed by fake delivery companies!
📝 So What Did the Government Do?
To fix this problem, the DMW and BOC signed a new Joint Administrative Order (JAO). Think of it like a super serious rulebook that everyone in charge must follow.
Here’s what the JAO promises:
✅ Speed up the delivery of balikbayan boxes
✅ Protect OFWs from fake or sneaky delivery companies
✅ Make sure boxes don’t get lost or delayed
✅ Help people report problems if their boxes go missing
🛡️ More Help Is Coming Too!
Other government groups will also help with this plan, like:
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The Department of Finance
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The Department of Trade and Industry
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The Department of Transportation
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The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)
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The Philippine Ports Authority
Together, they’ll make sure everything works smoothly!
📦 New Rules for Delivery Companies
The BOC said that delivery companies—called freight forwarders—must now follow new, stricter rules. These rules will:
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Stop mishandling of boxes
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Prevent cheating by bad companies
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Require all foreign and local partners to register properly
The Customs office will also share a public list of trusted companies on its website, so OFWs can easily choose safe delivery services.
💬 What the Leaders Said
Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said:
“This is a big step to protect the hard work and trust of our modern-day heroes—our OFWs. Handling their boxes with care is not just a job, it’s our moral duty.”
🎉 9,900 Boxes Recovered and Delivered!
Since last year, the government has already helped find and deliver over 9,900 balikbayan boxes that were missing or stuck somewhere.
In fact, the BOC just gave 2,954 boxes to the DMW for delivery to the correct families!
For the few boxes they couldn’t find, the DMW gave ₱30,000 in cash to each affected OFW to help them recover the loss. This was done through something called the AKSYON Fund, which helps OFWs in need.
💖 What This Means for Families
Now, families in the Philippines can expect their balikbayan boxes to arrive faster, safely, and with less worry. OFWs can send their love home with more peace of mind. ✈️📦
