Marcos: Abandoned balikbayan boxes to reach owners before Christmas

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said some balikbayan boxes that were left unattended for months would soon be returned to their rightful owners before Christmas.

Speaking at the launch of new facilities at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, Marcos said the Bureau of Customs has started processing the impending release of container vans carrying balikbayan boxes sent mostly by overseas Filipino workers to their families.

He said some of the boxes had been left unattended for nearly a year.

“Nais ko rin ibalita na sinisimulan na ng BOC ang proseso upang maipamahagi ang isang daan at tatlumpung abandonadong container van na balikbayan boxes sa mga nagmamay-ari nito,” Marcos said.

(I want to report that the BOC has started the process of releasing around 130 abandoned container vans containing balikbayan boxes to their owners.)

“Ang nangyari po rito ay nagpadala po ang ating OFW ng balikbayan box, inuwi dito sa Pilipinas. ‘Yung mga nagdala naman ay hindi binayaran ang mga dapat bayaran dito sa Pilipinas," he said.

"Kaya nandoon, nakatiwangwang lang ang mga balikbayan box for almost—‘yung iba magwa-one year na—nandoon lang sa Bureau of Customs.

(These were sent by OFWs, and what happened was that the fees were not paid by those responsible for delivering the boxes, so they were left at the Bureau of Customs.)

"Ngayon, sinimulan na natin ang pagbibigay at pagbabalik (Today, we have started releasing and returning the boxes),” the President added.

Marcos said the release of the balikbayan boxes would start on Tuesday, December 16.

He added that these efforts by the government “inspire deeper collaboration among stakeholders, stronger institutions across all sectors, and developments that place people at the center of governance.”—MCG, GMA Integrated News