Davao City: Approximately 2,954 abandoned ‘balikbayan’ boxes are set to be sent to Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) regional offices for return to the families of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Mindanao, following a turnover ceremony on Thursday. The Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Port of Davao facilitated the transfer of these consolidated ‘balikbayan’ boxes at the Terminal Facilities and Services Corp. (TEFASCO) Port in Barangay Ilang, Davao City.
According to Philippines News Agency, BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio stated that these boxes represent more than just packages, emphasizing their emotional significance to the families of OFWs. Rubio highlighted the collaborative mission with the DMW to ensure these boxes reach their intended recipients.
In an interview, DMW Assistant Secretary for Reintegration Services Francis Ron De Guzman explained that the boxes had remained unprocessed at the port for about a year because the necessary goods declaration had not been filed. Most of the ‘balikbayan’ boxes originated from the Middle East, and the responsible consolidators failed to pay the required processing fees.
With approval from the Department of Finance, the BOC declared the boxes forfeited and officially donated them to the DMW via a signed Deed of Donation. The DMW 11 (Davao Region) is handling 362 of these boxes for distribution in both the region and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The pullout began in April, with 20 boxes already delivered.
De Guzman assured that the DMW would facilitate free door-to-door delivery of these packages. He also mentioned that the DMW, along with the BOC and the Department of Trade and Industry, would pursue charges against the consolidators responsible for the delay.
The turnover underscores the government’s ongoing commitment to protect OFWs and their families, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize services benefiting the Filipino people. Port of Davao District Collector Maita Acevedo remarked that the donation reflects the agency’s respect and recognition for OFWs and their families.
