OFWS AND FAMILIES THANKS TULFO AFTER BOC RELEASES THEIR BALIKBAYAN BOXES STUCK IN WAREHOUSE

Through the help of Sen. Idol Raffy Tulfo and his office, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) today Oct. 26 finally started distribution of balikbayan boxes of roughly 200 OFWs that were stuck in the warehouse for almost a year.

It can be recalled that Rowena Agtarap and Jennifer Yanong came to the Senate office of Sen. Tulfo seeking for help regarding their unreleased balikbayan boxes last Sept. 12.

According to them, they have been going back and forth to the BOC to solve the problem but to no avail that's why they decided to seek Tulfo's assistance.

That same day, Tulfo contacted Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Buenvenido Rubio and asked him to help his staff assist the complainants.

The following day, Tulfo's staff accompanied the complainants to BOC where they met with Michael Fermin, the acting Deputy Commissioner for IAG.

Fermin opened the container van to confirm that their luggages were still there. He promised to help process the documents for the speedy release of their boxes.

The distribution of 750 balikbayan boxes started today. More than 30 families have already received the luggage and it will continue tomorrow.

Noted that the OFWs have already paid the overseas forwarders for the shipping of their luggage but the local deconsolidators have not been paid that's why the balikbayan boxes have not been delivered.

As such, the BOC asked the OFWs to cooperate with them to help file charges again the consolidators who scammed them

Meanwhile, the OFWs and their relatives thanked Sen. Idol, who is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, for quickly acting on their concern.

MGA NATENGGANG BALIKBAYAN BOX NG OFWS, NAIPAMAHAGI NA SA KANILANG MGA PAMILYA SA TULONG NI SEN. TULFO!

Matatandaan na lumapit sa opisina ni Sen. Idol Raffy Tulfo sa Senado sina Rowena Agtarap at Jennifer Yanong noong Setyembre 12 para humingi ng tulong na ma-release ang mga balikbayan box nila at kapwa nila OFWs na halos isang taon nang natengga sa mga warehouse.

Ayon sa kanila, nagpabalik-balik na sila sa BOC para masolusyunan ang problema pero pinaikot ikot lang sila nito kaya nagdesisyon na silang magtungo sa tanggapan ni Sen. Idol.

Noong araw ding iyon ay pinakilos ni Sen. Idol ang kanyang staff at tinawagan si Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Buenvenido Rubio para asikasuhin ang 200 complainants na pawang mga OFW.

Kinabukasan ay sinamahan ng staff ni Sen. Idol ang mga complainant sa BOC. Dito ay nakausap nila si Michael Fermin, ang acting Deputy Commissioner for IAG. Pinabuksan nito ang container van na pinaglalagyan ng mga nasabing bagahe para makita kung andoon pa at nangakong aasikasuhin ang dokumento para sa release ng mga ito.

At kaninang umaga, Oct. 26, ay sinimulan nang ipamahagi ng BOC ang mga balikbayan box na natengga sa warehouse matapos abandonahin ng forwarding company.

Tatlong container trucks na naglalaman ng 750 balikbayan boxes ang isa-isang ipinamigay sa pamilya ng mga OFW. Higit 30 na ang nakatanggap ng mga bagahe at itutuloy bukas ang pamimigay nito.

Nagbayad na ang mga OFW sa mga overseas forwarder para sa shipping ng kanilang bagahe pero ang local deconsolidators ay hindi nabayaran kaya hindi naihatid ang mga balikbayan box.

Kaya hiniling ng BOC na makipagtulungan ang mga OFW sa kanila para masampahan ng kaso ang consolidators na nag-scam sa kanila.

Lubos naman ang pasasalamat ng mga OFW at kanilang mga kamag-anak kay Sen. Idol na Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Migrant Workers sa mabilis na aksyon nito sa kanilang problema.