Manila: The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Thursday initiated the delivery of approximately 130,000 unclaimed "balikbayan" boxes. This move comes in response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to ensure that these boxes are delivered to the families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) across the country in time for the holiday season.

According to Philippines News Agency, Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno led the inspection of the unclaimed balikbayan boxes at the Port of Manila. A significant portion of these boxes originated from the Middle East, specifically Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Some of the boxes have remained at the port for eight months, while others have been there for as long as two years.

Out of the 144 cargo containers, a minimum of 54,000 boxes are packed per container, potentially reaching over 130,000 boxes depending on the size of the packages. The BOC discovered this issue in July, and Nepomuceno expressed surprise at the extent of the problem. The boxes were declared abandoned after consolidators and de-consolidators failed to pay the necessary duties and taxes.

Nepomuceno assured recipients that the boxes would be delivered without any charges, as the government has covered the delivery costs as a Christmas gift from the President to OFWs and their families. He mentioned that President Bongbong Marcos, through Secretary Frederick Go of the Department of Finance, allocated a budget to facilitate this initiative.

The BOC chief highlighted the intention to pursue administrative and legal actions against the de-consolidators responsible for the abandoned shipments. While the filing of cases will commence after Christmas, Nepomuceno noted ongoing discussions with the National Bureau of Investigation to explore potential charges of large-scale estafa due to alleged collusion or conspiracy.

Earlier this week, the President announced that an estimated 130,000 balikbayan boxes would be returned to their rightful owners before Christmas. The government has pledged to exhaust all efforts to ensure the efficient distribution of these long-delayed boxes to OFW families nationwide. Balikbayan boxes are typically filled with items such as clothes, shoes, and perfume, sent by OFWs to their families.