Bureau of Customs officials inspect abandoned balikbayan boxes left at a port in Manila. BOC

Thousands of abandoned balikbayan boxes left at a Manila port may finally reach the families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) targeting delivery within the next 60 days. BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the agency aims to release the container vans within days, following an inspection of more than 100 container vans loaded with balikbayan boxes at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) on January 23 (Friday). “Hopefully within 60 days, but we are not sure how fast our forwarders can do it. What is important is we will release these containers in the next few days,” Nepomuceno said. According to the BOC, some of the boxes have been sitting at the port for several months, with others left unclaimed for more than two years. The shipments contain food items, personal effects, and household goods sent by OFWs to their families across the Philippines. Nepomuceno said the agency is coordinating closely with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to facilitate the release of the container vans to accredited forwarders for door-to-door delivery. The inspection was conducted alongside the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to ensure transparency and accountability in the process. Earlier, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the release of government funds to cover the door-to-door delivery of the abandoned packages nationwide, easing the financial burden on affected OFW families. The BOC advised the public to monitor updates through its official OFW portal at customs.gov.ph/home/overseas-filipino-worker-ofw/. ICA/Expat Media
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