President Rodrigo Duterte prohibited the Bureau of Custom from opening the OFWs Balikbayan boxes in an address to around a thousand Overseas Filipinos in Thailand during his last leg of ASEAN visit. He also assured OFW's that their balikbayan boxes will be safe through the Bureau of Customs especially during Christmas season.
Balikbayan boxes are the traditional packages or and gift boxes sent by Overseas Filipino Workers to their love ones and relatives in the Philippines.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) was also accused of unnecessarily opening up balikbayan boxes during inspection to check for smuggled goods. Upon delivery, many families and relatives complains missing items from their rummage.
Duterte said, it is already a custom among Filipinos who work overseas to bring gifts or "pasalubong" for their relatives. He advised to inform the officer that those are all gifts, from the hard-earned money. He joked, that it is natural that during the homecoming or vacation of the OFW there would be gifts for almost everyone in the family and there are 20 more luggages to follow.
He even told OFWs to be assertive of their rights, even giving them permission to drop his name.
On the other hand, Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon of the Bureau of Customs reiterates Memorandum no, 2016-11-016 regarding handling of Balikbayan Boxes.
SEE ALSO:
"THE OFW BALIKBAYAN BOXES SHOULD BE PROTECTED" ---- BOC COMMISSIONER FAELDON
Read more: http://www.jbsolis.com/2017/01/the-ofw-balikbayan-boxes-should-be-protected.html
©2017 THOUGHTSKOTO
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