LAPID: MANGGAGANTSONG FORWARDERS NG OFW BALIKBAYAN BOXES, BUSISIIN SA SENADO!

PINAIIMBESTIGAHAN na ni Senador Lito Lapid sa kaukulang komite ng Senado ang diumano'y pagkawala at pag-abandona sa mga bodega ng libo- libong balikbayan boxes ng mga Overseas Filipino Workers(OFWs).

Sa inihaing Senate Resolution No. 950, hiniling ni Lapid sa Senate leadership na agad aksyunan ang nasabing problema dahil mahalaga umanong mabigyan ng leksyon at parusa ang mga delingkwenteng at manggagantsong cargo foreign at local forwarders.

Giit ni Lapid, dapat anyang mabigyan ng kagyat na solusyon ang hinaing ng mga OFW sa pamamagitan ng malilikhang batas at matiyak na hindi na ito mauulit pa sa susunod na panahon.

Ikinadismaya ni Lapid ang ganitong istilo ng mga cargo forwarding company sa abroad at sa Pilipinas dahil inaabot ng ilang buwan hanggang dalawang taon bago maideliber ang mga balikbayan box.

"Tahasang pagbalewala ito sa dugo, pawis at matinding sakripisyo ng mga OFW sa pagtatabraho sa ibang bansa, at nagdudulot din ng panganib sa kanilang pamilya na matagal na naghihintay sa padala nila sa Pilipinas. Andyan na nabubulok na ang mga de lata, at nasisira na ang iba pang kargamento." ayon kay Lapid.

Sinabi ni Lapid na may nakuha silang report ng Bureau of Customs noong Enero 25, 2024 na may 16 cargo forwarders na hindi nag-deliver ng balikbayan boxes na padala ng mga OFW para sa kanilang pamilya sa bansa.

Maliban dito, iniulat din anya ng BOC noong 2023 na 11 kaso ang naihain nila sa sampung cargo forwarders dahil kabiguan na ideliver at inaabandona lang sa ilang warehouses ang tone-toneladang bagahe o balikbayan boxes ng OFWs na inaabot ng pito buwan hanggang dalawang taon.

Napaulat din sa media na may mga inabandonang kargamento ng mga OFW sa warehouses na isinusubasta at naibebenta na ng mga online seller.

Ilan sa foreign forwarding firms o consolidators ay ang Kabayan Island Express Cargo, Allwin Cargo, Manila Cargo, Mediacom Express Cargo, Pinoy Network Cargo, GM Multi Services Cargo, Sel Air Cargo, Sky Freight at CMS General Services.

Ang mga local forwarder o deconsolidator naman ay ang Luzon Cargo, FBV Forwarders and Logistics, Cargoflex Haulers, Rensworld Freight Logistics, CMG International Movers, ETMAR International Logistics, KC Door to Door Delivery Services, FGTI Forwarding Services, Cebu Cargo, Pinas Cargo, Goldwings Cargo, Cotabato Cargo, Phil Pacific Cargo, Manila Express, Al Delta Cargo at iba pa.

"Nanganak ng nanganak ang problema ng mga OFW sa kanilang balikbayan box na inaasahan pa naman ng kanilang pamilya sa bansa. Ang pag-abandona at iba pang modus operandi sa pinaghirapang laman ng mga cargo ay dapat lang mapatawan ng kaukulang parusa ng gobyerno," dagdag pa ni Lapid.

Sinasamantala umano ng ilang forwarders ang OFWs dahil sa mababang shipping fees ng mga balikbayan box, pero wala naman silang local counterpart na deconsolidator o magdedeliber sa Pilipinas ng mga ito. End

LAPID SEEKS PROBE ON ABANDONED BALIKBAYAN BOXES

Senator Lito Lapid has sought an investigation, in aid of legislation, on thousands of balikbayan boxes of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that did not reach their respective families and were abandoned in different warehouses.

In Senate Resolution No. (SRN) 950, Lapid said it is imperative "to identify the companies responsible for abandoning their duty of delivering these boxes to the families here in the Philippines, hold them accountable, and impose necessary sanctions to prevent further damage to the OFW community."

"The reported abandonment of balikbayan boxes not only undermines the sacrifices of our OFWs but also poses a threat to the well-being of their families, who eagerly anticipate the arrival of these boxes as a connection to their loved ones abroad," Lapid said.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently identified foreign and local companies suspected of abandoning balikbayan boxes sent by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The BOC said these companies have derogatory records.

Identified foreign forwarding firms or consolidators were the Kabayan Island Express Cargo, Allwin Cargo, Manila Cargo, Mediacom Express Cargo, Pinoy Network Cargo, GM Multi Services Cargo, Sel Air Cargo, Sky Freight and CMS General Services.

Named local forwarders or deconsolidators, on the other hand, were the Luzon Cargo, FBV Forwarders and Logistics, Cargoflex Haulers, Rensworld Freight Logistics, CMG International Movers, ETMAR International Logistics, KC Door to Door Delivery Services and FGTI Forwarding Services, Cebu Cargo, Pinas Cargo, Goldwings Cargo, Cotabato Cargo, Phil Pacific Cargo, Manila Express, Al Delta Cargo and others.

In 2023, the BOC filed a total of 11 cases against 10 companies for their failure to deliver balikbayan boxes. Within these warehouses, there were hundreds of balikbayan boxes languishing in the warehouses for seven months up to two years.

Reports said some undelivered balikbayan boxes are allegedly being sold online.

The balikbayan box abandonment has been a problem for a long time.

In the shipment of balikbayan boxes, there are foreign-based "consolidators" that handle the shipments from those sending them from abroad, and there are "deconsolidators" - their counterparts in the Philippines that handle the boxes once they arrive.

Unscrupulous forwarders exploited OFWs through lower shipping fees, but they did not have any counterpart local deconsolidator.

These deconsolidators were supposed to undertake the clearance processes and the balikbayan boxes' delivery.