The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) plans to deputize the Philippine Shippers’ Bureau (PSB) to handle overstaying and abandoned consolidated containers full of balikbayan — personal items sent by overseas Filipino workers — boxes.
Customs commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon said PSB, which regulates operations of consolidators, will handle distribution of abandoned boxes, initially at the Manila International Container Port, to claimants.
“The plan is to delegate the responsibility of disposing contents of abandoned consolidated cargo containers (to PSB) using a special lane initially for cargoes from overseas Filipino workers,” Biazon explained.
“Once we find a way to delegate the distribution of the cargoes, we will sign a memorandum of agreement with PSB.”
In a separate interview, PSB chief Atty. Pedro Vicente Mendoza said his agency initiated talks with the BOC so that overseas Filipino workers — often victimized by fly-by-night freight forwarders who offer to transport balikbayan boxes — are able to recover their cargoes.
“We are not rushing things but hopefully we could formalize the process this Christmas season or early next year,” Mendoza said.
BOC scans an average 400,000 balikbayan boxes a month.
Biazon earlier ordered the disposal of abandoned cargoes over a period of six months. He also ordered an inventory of all containers that can qualify for auction.
