Aquino stops random physical inspection of balikbayan boxes

Shippers in the United States will seek clarifications from the Bureau of Customs regarding their new policy on balikbayan boxes. (Contributed)

Manila — Following the uproar on moves to inspect balikbayan boxes, President Aquino yesterday ordered the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to refrain from doing so unless inspectors find possible risks brought about by unscrupulous packages.

Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima told the Inquirer last night that the President, in a meeting with him and Customs Commissioner Alberto D. Lina yesterday afternoon, “emphasized that OFW families view the balikbayan box as an integral part of the family relationship to nurture loved ones at home and as a tangible sign of their love and concern for their family members.”

In this regard, Purisima said the President ordered the BOC to do inspections “in a manner that maximized public safety while assuring the broader public that their boxes are not subject to unauthorized tampering.”

Specifically, the President’s instructions, according to Purisima, were as follows:

“First, there will be no random or arbitrary physical inspection of balikbayan boxes. Moving forward, all containers of balikbayan boxes should undergo mandatory X-ray and K-9 examination—at no cost to the sender or the OFW. Only in cases where there are derogatory findings from the X-ray or K-9 examination will there be a physical inspection of goods.”

“Second, in the event of a physical inspection, the [BOC] will request that an Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) representative or a designated officer of an OFW association be present, with provisions for CCTV monitoring of the inspection areas.”

“Employees who violate these protocols and engage in pilferage will be prosecuted and punished. We encourage the public to submit videos and photographic evidence of illegal acts to the Commissioner of Customs,” Purisima said.

“In this manner, we are confident that public concerns will be addressed while enhancing the state’s capacity to fulfill its obligation to our people.

In the coming days, the Bureau of Customs will be holding a demonstration or walkthrough of this system for the media so that the public can see how it works,” he said.

According to Purisima, the President “also emphasized the reality that more often than not, the only people who know what are in the boxes are the people who send them and the family members who receive them.”