President Aquino Ordered Bureau of Custom’s To Stop Random Search on Balikbayan Boxes





President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has ordered Bureau of Custom’s (BOC) to stop random search rule on Balikbayan Boxes. Instead, the government agreed for the use of X-Rays and K9 inspection.

BOC-Balikbayan-Box

To ensure that the balikbayan boxes are not subject to unauthorized tampering, Aquino instructed the BOC to do the following:

  • All containers of balikbayan boxes should undergo mandatory X-ray and K-9 examination at no cost to the sender or OFW.
  • Only in cases where there are derogatory findings in the X-ray or K-9 examination that there will be a physical examination.
  • In the event physical inspection, the bureau will request an overseas welfare administration or Owwa representative or a designative officer of an OFW association to be present with provisions for CCTV monitoring of the inspection areas.

The order said employees who would violate the directive would be prosecuted and punished.

“We encourage the public to submit videos and photographic evidence of illegal acts to the commissioner of customs,” the order said.