BOC to release new inventory of abandoned balikbayan boxes per area

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Tuesday that it will provide an updated inventory of the abandoned balikbayan boxes per area to improve the monitoring and process of their release to intended recipients.

This came after tensions rose at a warehouse in Bulacan over the weekend, following unclear directions on the release of over 4,600 balikbayan boxes after months of delay.

These packages that were mainly from the Middle East have been abandoned by foreign courier services at the BOC, with local delivery services working to have them shipped.

“Ngayon pong Wednesday, iko-correct natin ‘yun. Humihingi kami ng paumanhin sa ating kababayan. Magkakaroon lang ng updated inventory para malaman natin ‘yung actual na bilang kung ilan na talaga ‘yung nai-release,” BOC spokesperson Arnaldo dela Torre Jr. said in an interview on GMA News’ Unang Balita.

(This Wednesday, we will correct that. We apologize to our countrymen. There will be an updated inventory so we know the actual number of how many boxes have actually been released.)

“Nagrekomenda tayo sa association ng bidders….na gumawa muna ng updated inventory at i-sort, i-arrange ito according to location…para hindi na maulit ‘yung pagsugod ng mga tao at sigawan na ito,” he said.

(We have recommended to the association of bidders to make an updated inventory first, and sort and arrange the boxes according to location… This is to avoid the repeat of the incident.)

Dela Torre earlier said they were continuously coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to hold accountable consolidators or freight forwarding entities that abandoned the balikbayan boxes at BOC.

Customs Director Michael Fermin had said that the boxes should be delivered to the address of the recipients, and should not have been picked up at the warehouse. —KG, GMA Integrated News