(Photo by PIA)
MANILA – The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has urged Filipinos living abroad to verify the accreditation of cargo forwarders before sending balikbayan boxes, particularly as the Christmas season approaches.
CFO Chairperson Dante “Klink” Ang II said overseas Filipinos should check the Bureau of Customs’ official list of accredited cargo forwarders handling consolidated balikbayan box shipments and review advisories on companies with recorded incidents involving abandoned or undelivered boxes.
“For many Filipinos overseas, a balikbayan box is more than a shipment. It represents months of hard work and is one of the ways they share the fruits of their labor with their families back home,” Ang said.
He added that checking official government information before shipping could help prevent problems later.
The reminder follows recent BOC enforcement actions against cargo forwarding firms.
In May 2026, the BOC filed criminal complaints against Makati Express Cargo Inc. and several of its officers over around 36,826 balikbayan boxes left unclaimed at ports in Manila, Cebu and Davao.
A month later, the BOC filed another batch of complaints against five cargo forwarding firms involving 3,176 abandoned boxes, with alleged violations including unauthorized deconsolidation and fraudulent declaration.
Ang said undelivered balikbayan boxes can result in financial losses for overseas Filipinos who have already paid for shipment, as well as disappointment for families waiting for packages in the Philippines.
The CFO advised overseas Filipinos to verify the identity and accreditation of both the foreign cargo forwarder and its Philippine counterpart, keep receipts and tracking documents, be cautious of unusually low shipping rates or unexplained charges, and regularly monitor the status of their shipments.
The CFO and BOC recently signed a memorandum of agreement aimed at improving public awareness of balikbayan box procedures, customs regulations and other shipment-related concerns.
The partnership will also provide information materials through official government channels to help Filipinos abroad make informed decisions when sending balikbayan boxes, donations and other shipments to the Philippines.
