The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has created a free mobile application to assist the public, especially balikbayans (returning Filipinos) and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), with their queries on sending balikbayan (personal items) boxes and in estimating customs duties and taxes for their shipments.
Balikbayan Tax Calculator (BTC) is a free downloadable application now available on Google Play Store.
BOC, in a statement, said it came up with the application due to the spate of inquiries locally and abroad on customs tax and duties that is received daily by its customer assistance center, Customer Assistance and Response Services (BOC-CARES).
A user-friendly application, BTC is designed to compute the customs duties and taxes of commonly sent items based on the declared value provided to the application by the user.
The application, however, notes that “all calculations herein are indicative costs and may not reflect final costs.”
BOC added that all final costs will be provided at the discretion of the assigned Customs officer when the shipment arrives in the country.
OFWs and returning residents who sent balikbayan boxes may also track their shipments through the Balikbayan Box Tracker link found in the application.
The application also provides information on prohibited items, tax-exempt items, and taxable items, as well as gives answers to frequently asked questions on balikbayan boxes, parcels, and related matters.
“Customs encourages the public, not just balikbayans and OFWs, to download and try this mobile application so they would know the basics in importation and payment of duties and taxes,” BOC said.
To fully optimize the app’s functions, BOC advises users “to be ready with information such as value of the items for purpose of tax computation or the Bill of Lading number, for balikbayan box tracking.”
The application was created during the time of former customs commissioner Alberto Lina and after the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act was enacted into law.
The mobile app will also be available soon to iOS users on the Apple Store.
