Balikbayan box blacklist: 14 firms cited for boxes that failed to arrive
It feels like a blue Christmas when a balikbayan box full of imported goodies fails to arrive. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) wants to save families waiting at home from this fate by warning them about 14 freight companies that didn't deliver. Many of the boxes were held at Customs because of customs duties issues. “Ang hindi tumutupad sa tungkulin 'yung mga freight forwarders. Kasi ang tungkulin nila, dalhin 'yung mga Balikbayan boxes dito sa Pilipinas. Pagdating sa Pilipinas i-clear nila sa Customs at pag-sinabing clear sa Customs dapat magbabayad sila ng mga kaukulang fees, charges, duties and tax,” Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said in an interview on GMA News TV. From January to September, the DTI’s Philippine Shippers Bureau received about 500 complaints of non-delivery of balikbayan boxes. The 14 freight forwarders on the DTI blacklist: United Arab Emirates
- Al Rodah Marine Cargo
- Cityline Cargo
- Dagupan Cargo Packaging Services
- Smooth Express
- Express Link Cargo Services
- Associated Consolidation Express
- Alas Cargo
- AAA Cargo Express Inc.
- Shipping Express in Chicago
- ABS-CBN Star cargo
- RJM Freight Cargo Forwarders
- WRJ Freight Forwarders
- SCRL Cargo
- Maharlika Enterprise Cargo Services