Some 400 balikbayan (personal effects from overseas Filipino workers) boxes overstaying at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) since March 2016 will be released to their intended recipients after the winning bidder at a recent public auction agreed to this arrangement proposed by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Winning bidder Pherica International heeded the request of BOC to release the boxes to their rightful recipients at a reasonable cost in time for the Christmas season.
The abandoned shipment containing 400 balikbayan boxes arrived through U.S.-based international cargo forwarder RDR Forwarding, which failed to secure a local forwarder to process the shipment due to bankruptcy. Since abandoning the balikbayan boxes, RDR Forwarding could no longer be contacted by the box senders.
Based on Section 1129 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), an imported shipment is deemed “abandoned” when the importer, owner, or consignee fails to file an entry within 30 days of the date of discharge of the last package, or having filed such entry, fails to claim the importation within 15 days. Such importation will be seized in favor of the government and sold in a public auction.
BOC, in a statement, said Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon instructed MICP officials to look into this special case and exhaust all possible remedies so that the affected overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families won’t be troubled for long by the forwarder’s negligence.
At the November 22 bidding, MICP District Collector Vincent Philip Maronilla requested participating bidders to consider the special circumstances of the case and arrange with the recipients to have the boxes released to them. A number of bidders agreed to the arrangement.
Pherica International, after winning in the bidding, said it will coordinate with MICP and the recipients to process the immediate release of the balikbayan boxes.
Faeldon reminded OFWs to be extra mindful when sending balikbayan boxes by ensuring they transact only with legitimate cargo forwarders. The list of accredited international and local forwarders is available on the websites of BOC and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Image courtesy of yodiyim at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
