The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is working to return undelivered balikbayan boxes to overseas Filipino workers’ families before mid-February, even as processing challenges slow the effort, an official said Tuesday.
Atty. Chris Bendijo, deputy chief of staff at the Office of the Commissioner, said the absence of shipment records from deconsolidator firms has forced customs personnel to physically inspect and log the boxes one by one.
He explained that each package must be traced to its owner and destination before it can be sorted for delivery in Metro Manila or sent to the provinces.
To shorten the turnaround time, Bendijo said BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno has ordered the agency to look into tapping additional logistics providers.
Bendijo urged affected OFWs to remain patient, saying the agency hopes to complete the release ahead of Valentine’s Day.
Most of the stranded boxes are linked to Makati Express, he said, adding that the BOC has coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation and helped OFWs lodge complaints against the company.
The matter has been raised to the Office of the President, Bendijo said, noting that funding was promptly provided and that policy reforms are being pursued to give the BOC tighter oversight of deconsolidator firms to avoid similar incidents.