BOC urges OFWs to pick accredited balikbayan box forwarders By GISELLE OMBAY, GMA Integrated News

As overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) start to prepare their balikbayan boxes to be shipped in time for the holiday season, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday reminded them to only choose accredited cargo forwarders to not encounter issues. BOC spokesperson Vincent Maronilla said OFWs could check the list of accredited cargo forwarders for consolidated shipments of balikbayan boxes on the website of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). “Pakitignan ang DTI website o kaya mag-exercise ng extraordinary diligence sa pagpili ng consolidator o ng mga forwarders kung saan pinagdadalhan ‘to. Piliin natin yung meron nang sapat na reputasyon, karanasan, at makikita naman sa DTI ang list ng mga accredited consolidators,” he said at a public briefing. (Check the DTI website or exercise extraordinary diligence in choosing the consolidator or the forwarders where the balikbayan boxes are sent. Choose the one that has enough reputation and experience.) Maronilla said OFWs could also coordinate with the Door-to-Door Consolidators of the Philippines (DDCAP) to get the rating of the shipments. “Meron din silang sariling pagbabantay sa kani-kanilang miyembro para maiwasan natin ang issues sa pagpapadala ng balikbayan boxes na maloloko at hindi mapapadala sa ating mga mahal sa buhay,” he added. (They also monitor their respective members so that we can avoid issues in sending balikbayan boxes that could result in fraud and parcels not being sent to our loved ones.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News

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