OFWs take note: Port congestion may result in delayed deliveries of holiday balikbayan boxes

Due to current congestion in Manila ports, Filipinos abroad planning to send gifts to their loved ones in the Philippines in time for Christmas should do so early.

A report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday said deliveries of balikbayan boxes increase by 40 percent during the holiday season, which could worsen the congestion and result in delayed deliveries.

To avoid this, forwarding companies have advised overseas Filipinos to send their packages ahead of time, the report said.

In the report, an OFW from Hong Kong named Fely said she sent some clothes and foodstuff to her relatives in Taguig in July, but the parcel came in September.

Luzviminda Bañas, VP for operations of a shipping company, blamed this on port congestion, the report said.

“Still yung port congestion,” Bañas said. “Meron lang slight improvement.”



Among these improvements are the 24-hour trade lanes in major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, and the transfer of empty container vans from the Manila Port to different areas.

Yet companies are still struggling to clear their warehouses in time for the holidays, and in time for the Sept. 8 deadline imposed by the PPA.

Importers and brokers are compelled to move their customs-cleared container vans out of port on or before the deadline or the vans will be transferred to Batangas or Subic.

A three-hectare vacant lot in Kawit, Cavite, has also been opened to serve as depot of container vans, the report said. It now houses 2,000 empty container vans.

The PPA has blamed the daytime truck ban in Manila as the root cause of the severe port congestion in both the Manila Port and the Manila International Container Port.

Despite current woes, the PPA is hopeful that operations will  normalize in the following weeks. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News