The Manila International Container Port (MICP) of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) headed by Acting District Collector Romeo Allan R. Rosales, facilitated the release of Balikbayan Boxes to the Door to Door Consolidators Association of the Philippines (DDCAP) represented by its President, Mr. Joel P. Longares.

The shipment contains almost 180 Balikbayan Boxes which arrived at the MICP last August 16, 2021 and originally processed by the Manila Forwarders Corporation based in Spain. However, the said company failed to claim the shipment within the period provided for under Customs Administrative Order (CAO) No. 17-2019. Thus, the BOC issued a Decree of Abandonment (DOA) against said shipment and eventually sold to Atlas Brokerage & Express Padala Inc. on a Public Auction Sale dated 19 January 2022.

Consistent with the directive of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to provide assistance to our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) especially during the pandemic, BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero urged the stakeholders to explore all legal remedies to ensure that the affected families of our OFWs will receive the Balikbayan Boxes sent from across the globe.

MICP Acting District Collector Rosales sincerely acknowledges the predicament of OFWs and their families, and thanked DDCAP and ATLAS for their support in ensuring the delivery of the boxes.