200 UAE OFWs file complaint vs forwarding company over undelivered balikbayan boxes

At least 200 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) filed a complaint against a forwarding company that allegedly failed to deliver their balikbayan boxes to their families in the Philippines

“Hindi po nila nabayaran yung mga utang nila doon kaya hindi ma-release. Nakikipagusap yung forwarder pero hindi naman po sumasagot so hindi po namin alam yung mga napaguusapan nila,” Sarah Caminade, an OFW and complainant, said in Raffy Tina’s “24 Oras Weekend” report on Saturday.

(They didn't pay their debts there so they cannot release the packages, the forwarder was in communication but we don't know what they discussed.)

Caminade said they have formed a group to file a complaint against the company that had promised to deliver their balikbayan boxes.

“Marami po kasi last year pa po yun eh, noong isang taon pa po nangyayari yan eh,” Caminade said.

(There have been many undelivered packages since last year.)

OFW Elmer Santos, who has been in Dubai for almost 14 years, said he had previously sent packages through the company but this was the first time that it was delivered late.

“Masyado silang tipid sa kanilang mga sagot, napaka-igsi yun lang ang sinabi sa kanila. Magbibigay na lang sila ng update once na mayroong binigay na bagong update,” Santos said

(Their responses were brief. They will only provide an update once there is new information provided.)

The courier company's office in the UAE was now closed and the owner is no longer responding to the OFWs.

“Naii-stress na po yung iba, nagkakasakit na nga po dahil namromroblema sila kasi iba po nandoon yung mga gamot sa box hindi pa nare-receive,” Caminade said.

(Some are getting sick because their medicines were in the balikbayan box, which was not delivered yet.)

GMA News went to one of the courier company’s partner forwarding companies in Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

Some complainants said their balikbayan boxes were stored there. However, the company is no longer operating in the said office. The management also did not respond to their calls.

“Matapos na po ito, yun lang naman po hiling namin is mareceive yung mga box namin, yun lang po wala na po kaming ibang hiling,” Caminade said.

(We just want our boxes delivered, that is all we want.)

According to the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the company had no forwarder or consolidator in the Philippines.

It allegedly used the name of a cargo forwarding company without proper coordination with them.

“So noong dumating yung shipment niya dito walang nagproseso ng shipment niya dito sa Pilipinas so natengga siya dito hanggang naabandon,” BOC Spokesman Atty. Vincent Philip Maronilla said.

(So when the shipment arrived in the Philippines, no one processed it here. So it was stuck until it was abandoned.)

The BOC said it could no longer find the company based in the UAE. It added that they were coordinating with the Consolidators Association of the Philippines to auction the balikbayan boxes because this is the only legal way to dispose of them.

The agency, however, said they will appeal to the auctioneers to give the balikbayan boxes to the owners. — Richa Noriega/DVM, GMA News