The Philippine Embassy informs the Filipino community in Cambodia that under Customs Memorandum Order No. 79-90 or The Revised Rules and Regulations Governing the Entry of Non-Commercial Inbound Consolidation Shipments from Filipinos Abroad and based on Customs practices and procedures, once a cargo arrives in the Philippines, the local consolidator or courier shall file the necessary documents with the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which shall then assess the duties and taxes that the local consolidator shall pay for them. The goods shall thereafter be released and the local courier shall deliver the goods to the intended recipients. However, there are instances when the local consolidator does not pay the duties and taxes, which causes the balikbayan boxes to remain unreleased.

The BOC is currently reviewing the existing procedures as provided above to ensure the timely release of the packages to their intended recipients.

The BOC is aware of the efforts made by OFWs to send balikbayan boxes as tokens of love to their families, and wishes to assure the public that they are exercising utmost care in handling the packages.