Under the proactive leadership of Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) remains steadfast in its commitment to deliver abandoned balikbayan boxes to the families of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) nationwide.
As of January 10, 2026, Deputy Commissioner Michael C. Fermin reported that 54 containers have been successfully released out of approximately 141 containers identified in the backlog. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the BOC, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and other key government agencies.
The delivery operations are currently in full swing, spanning major regions in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. To ensure no family is left behind, the BOC has mobilized logistics teams to reach the following areas:
-
Luzon: Albay, Camarines Sur, Palawan, and Baguio.
-
Visayas: Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Negros, Iloilo, and Capiz.
-
Mindanao: Davao City, Davao del Sur, and Cagayan de Oro.
While the primary role of the Bureau is revenue collection and border protection, Deputy Commissioner Fermin emphasized that the BOC is taking on this logistical challenge as a matter of service to the Filipino people. “The government is not neglecting our OFWs. Although this is not strictly the mandate of the Bureau of Customs, we view this as a humanitarian mission. As Filipinos, if we can do something to help our kababayans, we will do it,” said Deputy Commissioner Fermin.
The program is fully supported by funds specifically approved by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., ensuring that the burden of abandoned shipments does not fall on the OFWs or their families.
The BOC wishes to remind the public that the delivery of these balikbayan boxes is completely free of charge. Recipients are cautioned against any individuals or entities soliciting “delivery fees” or “clearance charges.”
