The Bureau of Customs is reminding Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) arriving in the Philippines to fill up and submit the Customs Baggage Declaration Form.
The Customs form is different from the Arrival Card that is being submitted to immigration officers upon arrival at the airport.
Lawyer Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, NAIA Customs Deputy Collector for Passenger Service, said all airlines have been notified about this requirement since last year.
The airline crew will distribute the Customs forms, as well as arrival cards, to give passengers time to fill them out before landing. The filled-up Customs form is then submitted to a Customs Officer at the airport upon clearing the immigration and securing their baggages.
Mangaoang said this is their way of preventing contrabands and undeclared goods from entering the country as mandated by the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and Customs Administrative Order 1-2017. However, this was temporarily suspended during the time of then President Aquino, since it would cause congestion at the arrival area.
Balikbayan and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are entitled to a P350,000 duty exemption on their personal and household effects. In excess to P350,000 would be subject to ad valorem duty.
OFWs are also entitled to duty and tax-free privileges on their appliances, which does not exceed P150,000.
Bringing in foreign currency more than USD10,000 must be declared to the Customs officer upon arrival.
Aside from passengers, the crew of airlines from international flights are required to declare baggage contents.
Photo: Courtesy BOC
