We hope that President Benigno Aquino III’s order to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to stop the random inspection of balikbayan boxes would ensure that every overseas worker will be able to send gifts to his or her family without having to compromise the government’s campaign against smuggling.
The President’s directive may have been a knee-jerk reaction, but at least he did respond positively which is better than ignoring public outrage over this abominable practice that had been prevalent in Customs.
According to the directive, only balikbayan boxes that were found to have suspicious contents based on X-ray findings and canine inspections will be opened for inspection.
But the inspection will be witnessed by a representative from the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) and will be recorded through closed-circuit TV.
The President’s order sounds practical enough, and the public may be left wondering why Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina continues to insist on his plan to conduct random physical inspection of balikbayan boxes to reduce the smuggling of contraband into the country.
To be fair, there have been billions of pesos worth of cargo and contraband that were found to have been smuggled into the country that were stopped by Customs.
The agency had used every opportunity to tap media coverage in order to showcase them to the public.
Aside from rice and other vegetables, among the more notable examples of high-priced goods smuggled into the country were parts of a Harley Davidson chopper motorcycle sent through a balikbayan box and seized by Customs personnel in Mindanao. The motorcycle parts were supposedly intended for a Hollywood scriptwriter.
In justifying his random inspection policy, Lina said he was merely doing his job and that overseas workers need not be afraid if they haven’t sent anything illegal or dangerous.
The public’s answer to Lina’s argument can be seen in a stream of social media posts featuring photos that showed balikbayan boxes torn apart, some or all of its contents missing. One doesn’t have to be a genius to know who’s responsible for this.
The President and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte merely echoed popular sentiment when they said that opening these balikbayan boxes is a desecration of the overseas worker’s gift to his or her loved ones. Lina’s policy not only abets, but encourages this continued violation based on their false and flawed premise of national security.
The President’s order isn’t foolproof—it’s better to have more private sector representation during the opening of these boxes—but at least it makes better sense and should be in keeping with his administration’s commitment for “Daang Matuwid.”