Migrants’ Challenge to the Philippines Bureau of Customs
‘Handle with
care’ - this is the note usually attached to the balikbayan box. This
box has come to represent the traditional way Filipino migrants extend their
love and affection to their loved ones back home. The sacrifices of every
migrant worker is somewhat eased whenever they connect with their families by sending
their remittances and the much awaited balikbayan box.
The recent attempt by the Bureau of Customs,
headed by Commissioner Alberto
Lina to impose random physical inspection of balikbayan boxes
in order to counteract smuggling and loss of revenue shows
blatant disrespect for this important family tradition and all migrant
workers. These hardworking people were responsible for a record-high contribution of USD 24.3
billion in remittances in 2014, yet they are disrespected by being likened to
smugglers and their important family connection pursued for careless disruption.
What did this
proposal reveal about the political issues and financial interests that
surround this issue?
1. Commissioner
Lina instead of targeting the
migrant workers and tarnishing them
with petty criminality, should focus on the big-time smugglers and the enormous
amounts of vital revenue lost to our impoverished people. How much revenue is
lost on smuggled luxury cars and items for the rich? How was it possible that large containers of
waste coming from Canada were not detected by our customs and able to enter
the country freely? We want
to see big smugglers put behind
bars first, then perhaps the
office might gain some credibility.
2. Forwarding companies
like that of Commissioner
Lina’s business Air 21 , which has an average annual shipment
of 5 million balikbayan boxes would
definitely have benefited from the stricter rules. Private forwarding
companies already have easy
access to their customers data thanks to the poor data protection
associated with tracking of boxes. Subsequently, migrant workers are now
routinely bombarded with advertising. Additionally inappropriate use of this
data by his company allows government agencies to forward documents and notices
pertaining to labour cases to migrants – how much profit does his company make
from this? How much revenue is lost to
the duty exception given to selected forwarders?
3. There are
numerous complaints of lost and damaged
balikbayan boxes from migrants
and their families. Is the
government not concerned about the desecration of the box that connects
filipino families? What is the Bureau
doing about minimising delay in delivery due to inspection, compensating for
lost and stolen items and holding those responsible to account? What legal mechanism
is there for migrant workers voice to be heard, apart from resorting to social
media to complain?
4. Before
subjecting the migrants care packages to scutiny, let us first open the
accounts of employees and all officials
working in the bureau. For every
Filipino it is an open secret that the Bureau
of Customs is tainted
with corruption and bribery
issues. Even shippers and cargo forwarders will attest
to the rampant
corruption. Whilst migrant workers and their activities come under ever
increasing surveillance and control, transparency and accountability of
government agencies continues to remain elusive.
5. It is
appalling that this issue has been
exploited by political rivals of the current administration and even aspiring presidential candidates to
boost their political
campaigns. This insensitivity
demonstrates how politicians view the migrant workers in general: as ‘milking
cows’ for remittances and
later as captured votes for
the election. Shame on
politician’s for using this emotive issue for migrants to advance their
political agenda!
There must end
to the creation of any policies that place an additional burden on migrant
workers. Let us see evidence of real commitment to the social welfare of these
filipinos rather than just viewing them through an economic lens. The government’s focus should be to
prioritize services offered to migrant
workers and their families, especially women
migrant workers who are often
victims and survivors of abuse
and exploitation.
Stop harassing
the migrant workers and their families!
Kanlungan
Centre Foundation Inc.
77 K-10 Street, East Kamias, Quezon City
Philippines
Email: kanlungan2008@gmail.com
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