The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) met with representatives of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) on 16 September to discuss the donation of abandoned balikbayan boxes at the Port of Davao and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to the DMW.

According to the BoC, these are the balikbayan boxes sent by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) that faced logistical paperwork issues which hampered the distribution and claims of its recipients.

The meeting was headed by Geniefelle P. Lagmay, acting director of the BoC’s Port Operations Service, and Francisco Aguilar Jr., Director IV of DMW. The discussions centered on the legal and logistical processes required to facilitate the timely transfer and distribution of the balikbayan boxes to their rightful owners.

One of the topics discussed was the completion of a Deed of Donation (DoD) which would give the DMW legal custody of the balikbayan boxes. The DMW will notify the consignees and put in place a productive method for distributing these items. Balikbayan boxes that are presently at the Port of Davao will be handled, distributed, and stored by DMW, which will make sure they go to the intended beneficiaries as soon as possible.

In order to guarantee that the intended recipients of the balikbayan boxes receive their items on time, both agencies will work closely to speed up the process and resolve any potential bottlenecks.