{"id":59808,"date":"2015-08-25T15:44:53","date_gmt":"2015-08-25T07:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=59808"},"modified":"2015-08-25T15:44:53","modified_gmt":"2015-08-25T07:44:53","slug":"pandoras-box-is-the-balikbayan-box-in-trouble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2015\/08\/25\/pandoras-box-is-the-balikbayan-box-in-trouble\/","title":{"rendered":"Pandora\u2019s Box: Is the Balikbayan Box in trouble?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"11902591_943971252326679_2366599327308862034_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

PBS.org<\/a> reported in 2011 that there are over 10 million overseas Filipino workers (OFW) worldwide. That\u2019s more than 10% of the Philippines\u2019 population at that time, which was 92.2 million.<\/p>\n

In the period of April to September 2014 alone, OFWs remitted an estimated amount of P173.2 billion, according to the Philippine Statistic Authority\u2019s \u201c2014 Survey on Overseas Filipinos<\/a>\u201d released May this year. April to September\u2014that\u2019s just six months.<\/p>\n

Indeed, they deserve being labeled \u201cmodern day heroes\u201d because of the great lengths that they go to in order to provide a better life for their families back in the Philippines. Despite their physical absence in their homes, this \u201cbetter life\u201d that they strive so hard to achieve often arrive to the Philippines in two ways: monetary remittances and the proverbial balikbayan box.<\/p>\n

Recently, the Bureau of Customs announced stricter policies about the mandatory inspection of all balikbayan boxes in order to thwart smugglers and illegal traders who use these boxes to smuggle commercial\u2014often illegal or counterfeit\u2014goods into the country.<\/p>\n

President Benigno Aquino III and officials from the Malacanang Palace have expressed their support for the Bureau of Customs and their efforts to stop smugglers.<\/p>\n

In a radio interview on August 22, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte assured the public that there is no need to be extremely concerned about BOC\u2019s new rules.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur OFWs are not being targeted,\u201d Valte said. \u201cWe directed the BOC to ensure that the process is quick and orderly.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Monday, August 24, Liberal Party presidential bet and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said, \u201cTulungan natin ‘yung Customs na gawin ‘yung kanilang trabaho at dapat naman siguraduhin ng gobyerno na wala namang karapatan ng taumbayan na mapipinsala dito.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Let us help Customs do their job and the government should also make sure that no damage is done to Filipinos\u2019 rights).<\/p>\n

Despite the government\u2019s support, many have cried foul over these tighter policies\u2014including our modern day heroes.<\/p>\n

\"Bureau<\/a>
Bureau of Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina (screenshot from UNTV footage)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Statement from the Bureau<\/strong>
\n\u201cWe are not after the OFWs or their pasalubong [for their] families. We are after the smugglers who have resorted to using balikbayan boxes and consolidated shipments to smuggle contraband in the country through fake consignees or insertion of smuggled boxes or goods, otherwise known as riders, in consolidated shipments,\u201d said Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina in a statement.<\/p>\n

At the same time, he clarified that they are not imposing taxes on the balikbayan boxes. \u201cTo our overseas Filipino workers, the Bureau of Customs is not increasing taxes on the balikbayan boxes nor do we want to impede in existing processes. No such statement on tax increase has been made,\u201d the BOC chief said.<\/p>\n

Lina added, \u201cStricter compliance is necessary because the rules on consolidated shipments have been abused. Hindi Customs ang nagbabalak abusuhin ang mga OFWs. Ang gusto namin sa Customs ay matigil na ang pang-aabuso sa sistema na dulot ng smugglers.\u201d<\/p>\n

(It is not the Bureau of Customs who are planning to abuse our OFWs. What we want at Customs is to stop smugglers from abusing the system.)<\/p>\n

He noted that the government and industries have suffered loses to these illegal activities. Lina said, \u201cThe bureau has paid greatly in revenue losses through these smuggling activities, and more importantly, the affected industries.\u201d<\/p>\n

With this, he added that they will continue to implement existing rules, noting the bureau is not equipped to check on incoming packages.<\/p>\n

\u201cExisting rules on the balikbayan boxes still apply, including inspection as stipulated in the law. However, as mentioned before, the Bureau is not technologically equipped to inspect all incoming boxes as efficiently as we want. Alternatively, spot checks has been and will continue to be conducted,\u201d Lina said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have my duty to protect this country\u2026 I have to implement the law,\u201d he said in a separate INQUIRER report.<\/p>\n

He also called on the public to report to the Bureau if they found that items from their balikbayan boxes are missing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have [any] experience [of] receiving severely tampered and\/or missing items from your box, then let us know so we can properly help you,\u201d the BOC chief ended.<\/p>\n

In a dzMM interview on Sunday night, Lina said that if OFWs and other balikbayan box users have nothing to hide, then they should not be scared of the mandatory inspection.<\/p>\n

\u201cKung hindi prohibited, bakit ka matatakot? Kung iyan ay hindi dutiable, bakit ka matatakot<\/em>?\u201d Lina asked.<\/p>\n

(If the contents of the balikbayan boxes are not prohibited, why will you be afraid? If the contents are not dutiable, why will you be afraid?)<\/p>\n

\"Screen<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Public\u2019s Response<\/strong>
\nOn August 22nd, Julius Lajara, an OFW from the United Arab Emirates, started a signature campaign on www.change.org<\/a> entitled \u201cSTOP Philippine Customs to Impose Tighter Rules for Balikbayan Boxes<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

The petition is urging Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to stop the BOC from putting these stricter rules into action. After only three days, the petition has gathered close to 82,000 signatures.<\/p>\n

On Monday, Santiago posted her response to the petition. According to her, she has \u201cfiled Senate Resolution No. 1534<\/a>, calling for an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is one thing to inspect balikbayan boxes, another to desecrate them,\u201d Santiago wrote. \u201cThe Bureau of Customs seems aware that balikbayan boxes, when opened by their personnel, are sometimes pillaged. What have officials done to rid their ranks of thieves?\u201d<\/p>\n

In an official statement released Sunday, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto suggested the use of non-invasive methods of inspecting balikbayan boxes.<\/p>\n

Recto wrote, \u201cThere are ways to catch the rat without burning the entire house down.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the Recto, who is also the Senate Finance Subcommittee Chair, P298 million is already allotted for the maintenance of the 30 x-ray machines in 10 of the country\u2019s biggest ports.<\/p>\n

Citing the outdated allowable declared value of the contents in a balikbayan box\u2014which was determined more than 25 years ago\u2014Recto also suggested to triple the current allowable value from US $500 to $1,500, in order to do away with the need away with the need to inspect boxes with lower value.<\/p>\n

In an ABS-CBN report, Recto said that raising the allowable value of balikbayan boxes is \u201ca small thing compared to the P2.28 trillion that they sent back home last year.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the same report, he adds, \u201cIbalato na natin sa mga OFWs ang balikbayan boxes kasi ang pagpapadala n\u2019yan sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay ay isang paraan para mabawasan nila ng konti ang kanilang kalungkutan.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

(Let\u2019s give these balikbayan boxes to our OFWs because sending those to their loved ones is one way to somehow ease their loneliness.)<\/p>\n

\"shutterstock\"<\/a>
shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

OFWs\u2019 Outcry<\/strong>
\nThe Philippine Canadian Inquirer asked some overseas Filipino workers about their thoughts on BOC\u2019s new rules. Here are their responses.<\/p>\n

Mark Pacumio, a landscape supervisor based in Calgary, shared, \u201cFor me, what BOC is doing right now is a total load of crap. I understand why they need to implement stricter rules, but it seems that OFWs are being singled out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are other smuggling techniques that needs more attention other than these hard-earned balikbayan boxes\u2014kahit nga basura, nai-smuggle na din (they were even able to smuggle garbage),\u201d Mark said, referring to the container vans full of hospital waste shipped to the Philippines from Canada.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve seen pictures of boxes that have been inspected and you will feel really bad for the actual recipient and for the OFW who sent it,\u201d he added. \u201cRight now, I already have a box ready for sending but I am [keeping] myself from sending it because of this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

A caregiver in California, who requested to remain anonymous, shared a common concern of many OFWs.<\/p>\n

\u201c[This is an] invasion of privacy,\u201d she wrote. \u201cMay chance na pwede nilang nakawin ang pwede nilang kunin…. Hindi na nila naisip yung pinaghirapan ng mga OFW<\/em> just to fill up those boxes and how much they spent sa pagpapadala n\u2019un<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

(There\u2019s a chance that they [BOC staff] will steal whatever they can take\u2026 They\u2019re not even thinking about how hard it is for OFWs to fill up those boxes or how much OFWs spent to send [those boxes].)<\/p>\n

Arlyn dela Cruz, a caregiver based in Toronto, shared her disapproval of the Bureau\u2019s new policies. She also shared the difficulty of filling one balikbayan box, which could take anywhere from six months to one year.<\/p>\n

\u201cKung walang sale, hindi kami nagpapadala ng mga mamahalin. Kung makabili man ng medyo mahal, yung talagang kailangan lang\u2026 Malaki na ang tax namin, may tax pa yung kahon, kaya pinupuno namin talaga para sulit sa tax,\u201d Arlyn wrote. \u201cKaya nila ginagawa \u2018yan kasi alam nilang hindi makakapalag ang mga OFW dahil hindi naming kayang tiisin ang pamilya naming nagugutom.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

(If there\u2019s nothing on sale, we can\u2019t send anything. If ever we send something expensive, it\u2019s only because it\u2019s badly needed\u2026 We\u2019re already getting taxed a large amount here, then there\u2019s a separate tax for the box itself, that\u2019s why we fill it up to get the most out of the box fees. They\u2019re doing this because they know OFWs can\u2019t do anything because we can\u2019t bear to let our families starve.)<\/p>\n

Another OFW working as a Sales and Marketing Coordinator in Manama, Bahrain\u2014who chose to remain anonymous\u2014shared her opinion.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s completely ridiculous!\u201d she wrote. \u201cHowever you look at it, it just means taxing OFWs one way or another\u2026 In a way, we don\u2019t have any choice but to accept this. How else are we [going] to take home large or heavy goods or belongings? Airlines only allow 30 kgs of baggage, it\u2019s simply not enough\u2026 I would probably try to limit my purchases and buy only as much or as little as what can fit [in] my luggage.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also mentioned having no trouble paying higher taxes and fees, if\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cSee, I have no problem in paying more if I see improvements in public service or how they use public funds or what-not. But they don\u2019t. I honestly don’t know what they’re doing with our people’s hard earned money,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"President<\/a>
President Benigno Aquino III (Malacanang Photo Bureau)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

P-Noy\u2019s Instructions<\/strong>
\nIn a Philippine Daily Inquirer report released Monday night, President Aquino gave written instructions to the Bureau of Customs regarding the physical inspection of balikbayan boxes.<\/p>\n

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima shared the President’s instructions in an interview with the INQUIRER, saying that the BOC should \u201cestablish a more defined protocol\u201d when it comes to thwarting smugglers who are allegedly using balikbayan boxes to sneak commercial goods into the country.<\/p>\n

Aquino gave the following orders to the BOC:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • No random physical inspection of balikbayan boxes;<\/li>\n
  • Use x-rays and K9 units to scan and inspect all balikbayan boxes;<\/li>\n
  • OFWs sending balikbayan boxes will not shoulder inspection costs;<\/li>\n
  • A more thorough, physical inspection is only needed if any suspicious content is identified after scanning the box;<\/li>\n
  • An Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) representative must be present during the actual physical inspection of said box\/es.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The President’s order encourages everyone with proof of any mishandling or theft of balikbayan boxes and its contents to present said pieces of evidence to Customs Commissioner Alberto ‘Bert’ Lina.<\/p>\n

    Later that night, the BOC announced the cessation of all physical inspections of balikbayan boxes, as per the President\u2019s instructions.<\/p>\n

    Ferdinand Patinio (Philippines News Agency) contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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