Leaders of OFW groups to attend probe on balikbayan box inspection

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MANILA – OFW representatives are set to attend the congressional investigation into the Bureau of Customs (BOC)’s planned inspection of the balikbayan boxes this week.

“While we welcome every opportunity to hold a dialogue with the BOC, we decided to consolidate our concerns and include all these in our presentation before members of the Senate and House of Representatives in the presence of BOC and other stakeholders,” John Bertiz, spokesperson for the coalition of OFWs groupssaid in a statement.

He added the groups are currently preparing proposals in order to prevent the incident from happening again.

“We are preparing our proposals for our legislators and for the BOC to note and consider.

The legislative hearings offer a fair, transparent, open, and constructive platform for long-term solutions so that the balikbayan fiasco would never happen again,” he added.

The hearing will be conducted by the House committee on overseas workers affairs on Wednesday.

The Senate ways and means will also conduct a separate public hearing on Thursday.