Last batch of delayed balikbayan boxes released

The "last batch" of delayed balikbayan boxes has been released by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

According to a statement on Thursday, BOC and the Department of Finance (DOF) had facilitated the distribution of the first batch of said final wave of boxes to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) on Wednesday at the Port of Manila.

The final wave of balikbayan boxes consists of 72 containers with an estimated 24,536 boxes.

A total of 14 containers have already been dispatched, while the other 58 are now undergoing processing.

“This is about restoring trust and protecting our OFWs... We are committed not only to completing the delivery of these abandoned boxes, but also to reforming systems, enforcing accountability, and ensuring that such abuses are not repeated,” shared BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno.

Meanwhile, a dialogue was conducted between concerned authorities and OFWs to address concerns regarding the boxes, as well as ongoing efforts to prevent similar issues on delays and box abandonment.

Both DOF and BOC are also extending assistance to OFWs in filing legal cases with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against freight forwarders.

They reminded OFWs to remain vigilant and to only transact with licensed, reputable, and verifiable freight forwarders to avoid similar incidents in the future. —VAL, GMA Integrated News