BOC to review policies to make foreign, local freight consolidators equally liable

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Tuesday it will be reviewing its policies to make both local and foreign freight forwarding companies equally liable amid the abandonment of thousands of balikbayan boxes from the Middle East in several warehouses.

“Para mas magkaroon ng ngipin ang BOC, gagawin natin na i-revisit o i-review [ang policies] kung san ‘yung consolidators na may partner abroad na consolidators… magkaroon din ng puder ang BOC na maparusahan o maging liable,” BOC spokesperson Arnaldo dela Torre Jr. said in a press conference.

(To give BOC more teeth, we will be revisiting or reviewing our policies wherein consolidators which have partner-consolidators abroad… will also be under the BOC’s jurisdiction so they can be penalized or made liable.)

He said the BOC may require foreign freight consolidators to pay a bond to be accredited in the Philippines.

He said the bond could be used to ship the balikbayan boxes or packages to their intended recipients should it face delays.

Dela Torre reiterated that BOC is continuously coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to hold accountable the foreign freight consolidators that abandoned over 4,600 balikbayan boxes since Philippine law does not apply to them.

“Pero ang remedyo natin is para sa kababayan natin na nandun, ‘yung mga migrant workers, mga association, pwede sila magkalap ng impormasyon at ebidensya para ireklamo,” Dela Torre said.

(Our remedy for our migrant workers who are there is to gather information and evidence to file complaints.)

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

The BOC earlier said it provided an updated inventory of the abandoned balikbayan boxes per area to improve the monitoring and process of their release to intended recipients.—with Giselle Ombay/AOL, GMA Integrated News