MANILA: The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BoC) no longer allows its personnel to conduct physical inspection of balikbayan boxes, it was announced after Senator Aquilino Pimentel III introduced Senate Bill 1168, or the Expanded Balikbayan Program, which seeks to mandate the “no-opening of balikbayan box” policy of the Bureau.
The policy has been the Bureau’s practice since the release of Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) 27-2015, which was signed on September 2, 2015. This CMO states that balikbayan boxes sent by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) shall not be subjected to random or arbitrary physical inspection, and instead shall only undergo mandatory x-ray scanning, reported Manila Bulletin.
“Proper procedures are put in place. In cases of shipments tagged [as] ‘suspect’ after [passing through] an x-ray scanner, the inspector shall recommend the issuance of an Alert Order,” the BOC reportedly said.
