Philippines Customs to impose tighter rules for balikbayan boxes

[raynaputi]

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs said yesterday it may impose tougher measures on balikbayan boxes for fear that these tax-free packages are being used by traders to smuggle goods into the country.

Read more: http://www.philstar.com/headlines/20...likbayan-boxes

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I'm in the process of sending a box to my family. This thing worried me, but Keith said as long as everything in the box is declared (which we always do anyway), we won't have problems...hopefully.

[Dedworth]

Canned goods, grocery items and other household effects must not exceed a dozen a kind, while apparel whether used or new must not exceed three yards per cut,” Lina said.

Trays of 24 cans of corned beef is normally packed up here. Mrs D never declares anything specifically just signs the form as BB stuff

[Michael Parnham]

We send just clothes and the odd home appliance, never send food apart from the odd few bars of chocolate. What is Apparel please? never heard of that saying before

[KeithD]

Apparel is clothing and stuff

All the customs will be doing is checking more boxes to see that they abide by the rules which have been in place for years. Good for them, we complain in the UK when people try to avoid paying tax.

[Michael Parnham]

Apparel is clothing and stuff

All the customs will be doing is checking more boxes to see that they abide by the rules which have been in place for years. Good for them, we complain in the UK when people try to avoid paying tax.

Thank's Keith, I'm still learning at my time of life.

[raynaputi]

More news about this from here: http://www.rappler.com/nation/103398...fws-malacanang

[bigmarco]

Quite a few OFW's seemed to be very concerned about this. I noticed one online petition already had 53.000 signatures in 2 days.

[Terpe]

When we relocated to the Philippines we sent over 20 boxes via LBC during 6 month period.
Seems most may have contravened the restrictions and limitations in the original posted report.
We did comply fully by completing a full and true packing list of everything.
Given the anecdotal reports of just what folks are actually shipping without declaration i'm not at all surprised at the proposed revamp.

[Michael Parnham]

Don't know what Three yards per cut means, but it looks as though we won't be able to send anything because all our boxes are just full of clothes!

[Michael Parnham]

Quite a few OFW's seemed to be very concerned about this. I noticed one online petition already had 53.000 signatures in 2 days.

Sorry to ask, what does OFW stand for?

[raynaputi]

Sorry to ask, what does OFW stand for?

Overseas Filipino Worker

[Slip]

At work we get boxes of personal effects come through with signed decelerations stating what is in each box. Because we have to x ray each box we can tell (or have a very good idea if you are lying) At this point if the contents are completely different from what is stated that is when customs will start to sniff around the boxes and more than likely open them up and pull the contents apart to check why you felt the need to lie.

Honesty is the best policy, unless you really are trying to get away with something

[Terpe]

I'm not sure if the Customs folks use these or not on BB's but some years ago they purchased specialised X-Ray equipment to examine a container of boxed shipments.

[Terpe]

........Honesty is the best policy, unless you really are trying to get away with something

Couldn't agree more
However, personally we were not aware the the limitations and restrictions indicated in the OP linked report.
We did fully comply with LBC published requirements though.

[Michael Parnham]

Overseas Filipino Worker

Rescue Rayna, thank you

[Terpe]

PNoy has now gotten involved in the balikbayan box inspection issues.

he's mentioned being given reports that firearms, ammunition and dismantled motorcycle parts are being smuggled into the country through balikbayan boxes.

Seems the x-ray machines will be used for inspections of balikbayan boxes and only those deemed to be suspicious will be physically opened.

Many OFW groups oppose the proposal, don't see why though unles they're using the BB route in support of their businesses.

[Michael Parnham]

PNoy has now gotten involved in the balikbayan box inspection issues.

he's mentioned being given reports that firearms, ammunition and dismantled motorcycle parts are being smuggled into the country through balikbayan boxes.

Seems the x-ray machines will be used for inspections of balikbayan boxes and only those deemed to be suspicious will be physically opened.

Many OFW groups oppose the proposal, don't see why though unles they're using the BB route in support of their businesses.

Can't see them being from the UK

[raynaputi]

I don't see any problems with this as well. Although what I'm worried about is the items I sent will be put back in the box if they inspect it. Plenty of stories about opened balikbayan box with missing items. Philippines customs have always had bad reputation because of these instances.

[Michael Parnham]

I don't see any problems with this as well. Although what I'm worried about is the items I sent will be put back in the box if they inspect it. Plenty of stories about opened balikbayan box with missing items. Philippines customs have always had bad reputation because of these instances.

It's a chance you have to take Rayna, but having sent boxes approx. twice a year since 1989 I've never had one single box tampered with!

[raynaputi]

BOC: No more random checks on balikbayan boxes


Read more: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/08/24/15/boc-no-more-random-checks-balikbayan-boxes

[sars_notd_virus]

I am not worried ,my LBC box is nearly full up and should go out of my house in September.

[raynaputi]

I am not worried ,my LBC box is nearly full up and should go out of my house in September.

Mine is ready for pick up.

[stevewool]

Ours are ready too for September collection , three in total, pots and pans, cloths, soaps, tin ham, tin corn beef , light fitting, and uncle tom cobley and all, AND UNCLE TOM COBLEY AND ALLLLLLLLLLL

[sars_notd_virus]

Mine is ready for pick up.