South Korea OFWs to Customs: Stay away from our balikbayan boxes

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Sexpected, many overseas and migrant Filipinos reacted strongly to the announcement issued by the Bureau of Customs last week who vowed to impose stricter rules for balikbayan boxes to stem what Customs feel is a growing problem of smuggling goods via these tax-free care packages.

Through my morning radio program in DWIZ 882AM, we spoke with Gennie Kim, a Filipina in South Korea who has married a Korean and is a broadcaster who hosts a radio show called “Multi-cultural Family Music Broadcasting for Filipinos.” Her program airs original Pilipino music as well as news and relevant information for Filipinos in South Korea. Gennie said that this issue has sparked an outcry from her fellow Pinoys there. She revealed that they are planning to come out with a statement to let the Bureau of Customs know exactly how they feel about the agency’s new policy on balikbayan boxes. The Customs’ more stringent policy on balikbayan boxes has angered Pinoys in South Korea, she said, a phenomenon that we suspect is true elsewhere in the world.

Pinoy overseas workers and migrants typically send balikbayan boxes whose content was collected and carefully packed over a long period – items bought on sale, or even gotten for free, stuff that they feel their loved ones back home would cherish and appreciate. Every nook and cranny inside the box is filled to maximize the space and ensure value for hard-earned money. Balikbayan boxes, as many of us know, are labours of love and is anticipated and appreciated by those left behind in the Philippines.

The Bureau of Customs has defended their stance by saying that their spot checks of balikbayan boxes have revealed that some people are sending items of the same kind that can be used for commercial purposes rather than just gifts for loved ones. Abuse of balikbayan boxes privileges have been known to happen, according to Commissioner Alberto Lina, with people sending household appliances and even contraband items.

Gennie said that Pinoys in South Korea will organize themselves and launch a signature campaign to petition against the Customs’ tighter rules on balikbayan boxes. She appealed to Commissioner Lina to refrain from opening the boxes they carefully packed for their loved ones and to find other ways to curb smuggling.

In response to the outcry, President Benigno Aquino III ordered the Bureau of Customs to refrain from physically inspecting balikbayan boxes and instead use x-ray machines and K-9 units when checking. Only those with derogatory findings will be physically inspected and opened. Now Gennie and the rest of our our overseas workers and migrant Pinoys can breathe easy that their balikbayan boxes will remain intact for their loved ones.