The Bureau of Customs (BoC) on Thursday released 13,842 balikbayan boxes that had been languishing in storage, ending years of waiting for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families.

Finance Secretary Frederick Go joined Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno and Cebu District Collector Alexandra Yap-Lumontad to personally turn over the long-delayed packages to their consignees.

The release is part of a massive government operation to deliver thousands of “abandoned” boxes left stranded by unscrupulous or bankrupt forwarders.

“The Bureau of Customs and the Department of Finance, together with the DMW, will continue to help return these abandoned boxes to families,” Go said. “We will not allow our OFWs to be cheated. The government will ensure their hard-earned shipments are protected.”

Go stressed that the government has a duty to hold those responsible for the delivery delays accountable while expediting the remaining shipments.

Meantime, Nepomuceno reported that the bureau has prioritized clearing the backlog at major hubs. Deliveries have already been completed at the Manila and Davao ports, which he described as a significant milestone for the large-scale operation.

The bureau is now shifting its focus to the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and the Port of Cebu to finalize the remaining distributions.

According to the latest Customs data, 25,818 boxes have been delivered nationwide so far. This includes 13,824 in Cebu, 8,475 at the MICP, 2,699 in Subic, 732 in Davao, and 70 at the Port of Manila.

Despite the progress, 15,084 boxes remain scheduled for delivery. The majority of these are currently held at the MICP, which has 14,487 units left, followed by 498 in Cebu.