DMW, Customs ink order to hasten delivery of OFW balikbayan boxes
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday signed a joint administrative order that seeks to hasten the delivery of balikbayan boxes and protect senders from scams.
The order was in response to the complaints from overseas Filipino workers about undelivered, delayed, or lost balikbayan boxes, with the issue brought up during a House committee hearing in March.
'The Joint Administrative Order establishes a whole-of-government framework to regulate the sea cargo forwarding industry, protect OFWs from scams, and ensure balikbayan boxes reach their destination safely and on time,' the DMW said in a statement.
'The JAO also includes a multi-agency complaints and monitoring system to fast-track the reporting, tracking, and resolution of cases involving delayed or lost boxes. Public education campaign will warn OFWs against using unaccredited forwarders and inform them of their rights and options,' it added.
Under the JAO, both the DMW and the BOC will work closely with the Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry's Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau, Department of Transportation, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and the Philippine Ports Authority.
The DMW and the BOC were able to retrieve and deliver more than 9,900 balikbayan boxes since 2023.
The BOC recently turned over 2,954 balikbayan boxes to the DMW for distribution to their intended recipients, the families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
For unrecovered boxes, the DMW has provided P30,000 cash assistance to each affected OFW through the AKSYON Fund. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BM, GMA Integrated News
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